Llegar Conjugation: All Spanish Tenses

Llegar (to arrive, to reach) is one of the most used verbs in Spanish. Based on its endings it is regular and follows the -ar verb pattern, but it has a g→gu spelling change: before e the g would sound soft (like in gente), so a u is added to keep the hard [g] sound. That is why we write llegué (not "llegé"), the whole subjunctive llegue, lleguemos… and the imperative llegue.

Indicative Tenses of Llegar

Llegar in the Present (Presente)

Habits, current facts and general truths: Siempre llego puntual a la oficina (I always arrive on time at the office).

Present tense rules →

Llegar in the Preterite (Pretérito indefinido)

Completed actions at a specific moment in the past: Anoche llegué a casa muy tarde (Last night I got home very late).

Preterite rules →

Llegar in the Present Perfect (Pretérito perfecto)

Past connected to the present: Hoy he llegado antes que nadie (Today I have arrived before everyone).

Present perfect rules →

Llegar in the Imperfect (Pretérito imperfecto)

Habitual or ongoing actions in the past: De niño llegaba tarde casi todos los días (As a child I used to arrive late almost every day).

Imperfect rules →

Llegar in the Past Perfect (Pluscuamperfecto)

An action before another past action: Cuando empezó la película, ya habíamos llegado al cine (When the film started, we had already arrived at the cinema).

Past perfect rules →

Llegar in the Future (Futuro simple)

Plans and predictions: El tren llegará a las ocho en punto (The train will arrive at eight o'clock sharp).

Future tense rules →

Llegar in the Future Perfect (Futuro perfecto)

An action that will be completed in the future: Para las diez ya habremos llegado al hotel (By ten we will have arrived at the hotel).

Future perfect rules →

Llegar in the Conditional (Condicional simple)

Advice and hypothetical situations: Con este tráfico, llegaríamos tarde a la reunión (With this traffic, we would arrive late to the meeting).

Conditional rules →

Llegar in the Conditional Perfect (Condicional compuesto)

Hypotheses about the past: Sin ese atasco, habría llegado a tiempo (Without that traffic jam, I would have arrived on time).

Conditional perfect rules →

Subjunctive Tenses of Llegar

Present Subjunctive of Llegar (Presente de subjuntivo)

Wishes, doubts and emotions (this is where the g→gu change appears): Espero que llegues sano y salvo (I hope you arrive safe and sound).

Present subjunctive rules →

Present Perfect Subjunctive of Llegar (Pretérito perfecto de subjuntivo)

Evaluating a recent past action: Me alegro de que hayas llegado bien (I am glad you have arrived safely).

Perfect subjunctive rules →

Imperfect Subjunctive of Llegar (Pretérito imperfecto de subjuntivo)

Hypothetical conditions: Si llegaras antes, podríamos cenar juntos (If you arrived earlier, we could have dinner together).

Imperfect subjunctive rules →

Past Perfect Subjunctive of Llegar (Pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo)

Unreal hypotheses about the past: Si hubieras llegado antes, no te lo habrías perdido (If you had arrived earlier, you would not have missed it).

Past perfect subjunctive rules →

Imperative of Llegar

Affirmative Commands of Llegar (Imperativo afirmativo)

Orders and requests (usted and nosotros take gu): ¡Llega pronto, te esperamos! (Arrive soon, we are waiting for you!)

Affirmative commands rules →

Negative Commands of Llegar (Imperativo negativo)

Prohibitions and negative advice: No llegues tarde otra vez (Don't arrive late again).

Negative commands rules →

Expressions with Llegar

• Llegar a ser - to become something over time
• Llegar lejos - to go far, to be very successful in life
• Llegar a tiempo - to arrive on time
• Llegar a las manos - to come to blows, to end up fighting