llegué
/yeh-GAY/
I arrived
Depicting physical movement, this image shows the moment 'I arrived' at the destination.
llegué(Verb)
I arrived
?Physical movement to a destination
I got (there)
?Informal way to refer to arriving
,I reached
?Reaching a destination or location
📝 In Action
Llegué a casa muy tarde anoche.
A1I arrived home very late last night.
Cuando llegué al aeropuerto, el vuelo ya se había ido.
A2When I got to the airport, the flight had already left.
¿Viste mi mensaje? ¡Llegué!
A1Did you see my message? I'm here! (I arrived!)
💡 Grammar Points
Past Tense (Preterite)
This form, 'llegué', is used for actions that started and finished completely in the past, like a single event or trip.
Preposition 'a'
When talking about arriving at a place, you almost always need the preposition 'a' (to/at): 'Llegué a la tienda.' (I arrived at the store).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the Spelling Change
Mistake: "Llegé (without the 'u')."
Correction: Llegué. The 'g' must change to 'gu' before the 'é' in the 'yo' preterite form to keep the hard 'G' sound (like in 'go').
⭐ Usage Tips
Emphasizing the Journey
Use 'llegué' when the focus is on the successful completion of the trip. Contrast with 'estuve' (I was), which focuses only on the state of being somewhere.
This image symbolizes reaching a figurative goal or conclusion, illustrating the meaning 'I reached.'
llegué(Verb)
I reached
?Figurative: reaching a goal or conclusion
I attained
?Reaching a high level or age
,I got to (the point)
?Reaching a certain state or condition
📝 In Action
Después de tres horas de debate, finalmente llegué a una conclusión.
B1After three hours of debate, I finally reached a conclusion.
Llegué a entender por qué actuaste de esa manera.
B2I came to understand why you acted that way.
Gracias a su ayuda, llegué a mi meta.
B1Thanks to your help, I reached my goal.
💡 Grammar Points
Mental Milestones
When used figuratively, 'llegué' means you completed a mental process (like deciding or understanding), treating it like arriving at a mental location.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing 'Llegué a ser'
Mistake: "Using 'Llegué' alone to mean 'I became.'"
Correction: You must include 'a ser' (llegué a ser) to mean 'I became' over a long process. Without 'a ser,' it means 'I arrived.'
⭐ Usage Tips
Use with 'A'
Even in figurative use, 'llegué' often needs the preposition 'a' to introduce the conclusion or result: 'Llegué a la misma idea.'
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: llegué
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'llegué' to mean 'I reached a point or milestone'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
How is 'llegué' different from 'estuve'?
'Llegué' focuses on the movement and the *moment* of arrival ('I arrived at 5 PM'). 'Estuve' is the preterite of 'estar' and focuses on the state of being in a place for a period ('I was at the library yesterday').
Does 'llegué' require a helping verb in Spanish?
No. 'Llegué' is a single, complete verb form (I arrived). You do not need 'he' or 'have' like in English ('I have arrived').