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How to Say "you arrived" in Spanish

English → Spanish

llegaste

yeh-GAHS-teh/ʎeˈɣaste/

Verb (Conjugated Form)A1Informal
Use 'llegaste' when you are informally addressing one person (tú) and referring to their arrival.
A simple storybook illustration showing a stylized character standing at an open, brightly colored front door, having just stepped across the threshold.

Examples

¡Qué bueno que llegaste! Te estábamos esperando.

It’s great that you arrived! We were waiting for you.

¿A qué hora llegaste anoche a casa?

What time did you get home last night?

Llegaste justo a tiempo para ver el final de la película.

You arrived just in time to see the end of the movie.

The 'Tú' Form

This word is always used when addressing one person informally (a friend, child, or family member). It is the equivalent of 'you' in English.

Past Action Completed

Llegaste uses the Preterite tense, which is the verb form you use to talk about actions that happened once and finished completely in the past, like 'I ate dinner' or 'You arrived.'

Confusing Past Tenses

Mistake: “Using 'llegabas' (Imperfect) instead of 'llegaste' (Preterite).”

Correction: Use 'llegaste' for a single, specific arrival time ('You arrived at 8:00'). Use 'llegabas' to describe a repeated habit in the past ('You used to arrive early').

llegó

VerbA1Formal/Neutral
Use 'llegó' when you are formally addressing one person (usted) or referring to the arrival of a third person or thing.

Examples

El tren llegó a las cinco en punto.

The train arrived at five o'clock sharp.

viniste

vee-NEES-teh/biˈniste/

Verb (Conjugated)A1Informal
Use 'viniste' when you are informally addressing one person (tú) and want to emphasize the act of coming to a specific place or at a specific time.
A friendly young traveler, wearing a small backpack, is pictured stepping fully into a bright room through an open doorway, indicating they have just arrived.

Examples

¿A qué hora viniste a la casa?

What time did you come to the house?

Me dijiste que viniste en autobús.

You told me that you came by bus.

¡Qué bueno que viniste! Te extrañamos.

It's great that you came! We missed you.

The 'Tú' Past Tense

This form, 'viniste,' is used when you are speaking directly to one person informally (using 'tú') about an action they completed at a specific time in the past ('You came').

Irregular Stem

The verb 'venir' (to come) is irregular in this past tense. Instead of using 'ven-', it uses the special stem 'vin-'. This stem pattern is shared by several important verbs.

Adding an 's'

Mistake: “Vinistes (with an 's' at the end)”

Correction: The correct form is 'viniste' (without the final 's'). Adding the 's' is a very common error among native speakers and learners alike, but it is not standard Spanish.

Informal vs. Formal 'You'

The most common mistake is confusing 'llegaste' and 'viniste' with 'llegó' when addressing someone. Remember that 'llegaste' and 'viniste' are used for the informal 'tú', while 'llegó' is for the formal 'usted' or when talking about a third party. Using 'llegó' for a friend you'd call 'tú' can sound distant or incorrect.

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