Using Llegar to mean "get back from (return)"

Question

I have seen a number of translations for "Llegar de" that indicate that it means to "get back from".

e.g. Mi abuela llega del parque a las 7:30 todas las mañanas. = My grandmother gets back from the park at 7:30 every morning. Literally, "llega de" would mean "arrives from".

However, wouldn't "Volver" be more appropriate? How widely used is the phrase "Llegar de" to mean "return from", "get back from", etc..., in spanish speaking countries?

Answer 1

Hi and welcome to the SD forum!

In my experience, both "Mi abuela llega del parque a las 7:30" and "Mi abuela vuelve del parque a las 7:30" are used equally. However, with "llegar" it doesn't matter where she was before she was at the park...with "volver" she was here before and she's returning.

Hi, Mariana - 005faa61, Mar 1, 2013

Muchas Gracias Mariana! Ya Entiendo. - rhin0ski, Mar 1, 2013

Good point Amiga :) - Kiwi-Girl, Mar 2, 2013

Answer 2

I think that the previous answer pretty much sums it up, with "volver", it is implied that you are coming back to the place from where you left off. With "llegar" it just means that you are getting there from wherever.

Gracias Saratoga por revisar mi pregunta. - rhin0ski, Mar 1, 2013

Answer 3

And - the main difference between the two words is that we use "volver" to also mean "to do something again" ie: the songs "Vuélveme a querer" .... "Love me again" and "Volver a volver" ..... "To return to start again" (a relationship).

Gracias Julian por tu explicación! - rhin0ski, Mar 1, 2013

Hi, Julian! - --Mariana--, Mar 1, 2013