llegara
“llegara” means “if/when I/he/she/it arrived” in Spanish (Hypothetical past or future reference).
if/when I/he/she/it arrived, might arriveAlso: were to arrive, should arrive
📝 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.
Word Connections
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "llegara" in Spanish:
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: llegara
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'llegara' to express a hypothetical situation in the past?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family
🎵 Rhymes
📚 Etymology
The verb 'llegar' comes from the Latin verb *plicare*, meaning 'to fold' or 'to moor a ship.' Over time, the meaning shifted to 'to reach a destination' or 'to arrive.' The '-ara' ending is a standard marker for the imperfect subjunctive in Spanish, inherited from Latin verb forms.
First recorded: 12th century (in the form 'llegar')
Cognates (Related words)
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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.