llegara
ye-GAH-ra
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Si él llegara tarde, perderíamos el tren.
B2If he were to arrive late, we would miss the train.
Yo no creía que el paquete llegara antes del lunes.
B2I didn't believe that the package would arrive before Monday.
Ojalá llegara el dinero pronto para pagar las cuentas.
C1I wish the money would arrive soon to pay the bills.
💡 Grammar Points
The 'What If' Tense
The form 'llegara' is used for actions that are doubtful, wished for, or purely hypothetical, especially when talking about the past or setting up complex 'if... then' scenarios.
Two Forms for the Same Job
Spanish has two ways to say this tense: 'llegara' and 'llegase'. They mean exactly the same thing, though 'llegara' is much more common in daily speech in most regions.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing Past Subjunctive and Conditional
Mistake: "Si él llegaría tarde, perderíamos el tren. (Mixing conditional and subjunctive)"
Correction: Si él llegara tarde, perderíamos el tren. (The 'if' clause needs the special subjunctive form.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Using 'Ojalá'
You often use 'llegara' after 'Ojalá' (I hope/I wish) to talk about a wish that seems difficult or unlikely to happen: 'Ojalá llegara el verano ya.'
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: llegara
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'llegara' to express a hypothetical situation in the past?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'llegara' the same as 'llegase'?
Yes, they are two different ways to say the exact same verb form (the imperfect subjunctive, first/third person singular). 'Llegara' is generally more common in modern Spanish.
Why is 'llegara' used in 'Si yo fuera rico, compraría un coche' (If I were rich...)?
Wait! The correct word there is 'fuera' (imperfect subjunctive of 'ser'). However, if you wanted to say 'If I arrived rich,' you would use 'llegara' because these hypothetical 'if' clauses always require the imperfect subjunctive form.