llegan
“llegan” means “they arrive” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
they arrive, you all arrive
Also: they come
📝 In Action
Los trenes siempre llegan a tiempo.
A1The trains always arrive on time.
¿A qué hora llegan ustedes del viaje?
A2What time are you all arriving from the trip?
Dicen que llegan las cartas mañana.
A1They say the letters will arrive tomorrow.
they reach, they attain
Also: they amount to, they extend
📝 In Action
Los precios llegan a un máximo histórico este mes.
B2Prices are reaching a historic high this month.
Si estudian mucho, llegan a la meta de ser bilingües.
B1If they study hard, they will reach the goal of being bilingual.
Las negociaciones llegan a un punto crítico.
B2The negotiations are reaching a critical point.
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "llegan" in Spanish:
they arrive→they attain→they come→they extend→they reach→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: llegan
Question 1 of 2
Which of these sentences uses 'llegan' to mean 'reaching a goal' rather than physical arrival?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
The verb 'llegar' comes from the Latin verb *plicāre*, which meant 'to fold' or 'to bend.' Over time, in Vulgar Latin, this evolved into *applicāre* ('to apply oneself to' or 'to approach'), eventually transforming into the Spanish word we use today for approaching and reaching a place.
First recorded: 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'llegan' and 'vienen'?
'Llegan' (from 'llegar') means 'they arrive' at a specific destination (focus is on the destination). 'Vienen' (from 'venir') means 'they come' (focus is on movement toward the speaker or the point of reference). Example: 'Llegan al aeropuerto' (They arrive at the airport). 'Vienen a mi casa' (They come to my house).
Is 'llegan' regular or irregular?
The verb 'llegar' is considered regular in most tenses. The only minor change is the spelling in the 'yo' preterite ('llegué') and the subjunctive forms ('llegue', 'lleguen') to make sure the 'g' keeps its hard sound.