La preposición que lleva el verbo llegar

Question

I've noticed that both Spanish speakers when they speak English and English speakers when they speak Spanish make mistakes when it comes to the verbs "llegar" or "arribar" or " arrive". Of course the reason is that the prepositions are different in both languages and our mother tongue interferes in the preposition we use in the foreign language.

What is the preposition?

1 Ayer llegué ...............Madrid.
2 I arrived ............Madrid yesterday.
3 Cuando arribe .........la estación de trenes, iré al baño.
4 When I arrive..............the railroad station, I'll go to the restroom.
5 Julio César . llegará ..............su trabajo en hora.
6 Julio César will arrive...............his job on time.

I think that being aware of the difference could help.

This is great!! =) - 00376109, Aug 9, 2017

Number 3 should be llegue not arribe. - NKM1974, Aug 9, 2017

Answer 1

1 Ayer llegué ......a.........Madrid.
2 I arrived ......in......Madrid yesterday.
3 Cuando arribe ....a.....la estación de trenes, iré al baño.
4 When I arrive......at........the railroad station, I'll go to the restroom.
5 Julio César . llegará ......a........su trabajo en hora.
6 Julio César will arrive......at.........his job on time. (but on the job)

2 I got ....to........Madrid yesterday.
4 When I get.....to.........the railroad station, I'll go to the restroom.
6 Julio César will get.....to......his job on time.

2 I made it ....to........Madrid yesterday.
4 When I make it.....to.........the railroad station, I'll go to the restroom.
6 Julio César will make it.....to......his job on time.

Interestingly, with arrive there are three options, depending on the nature of the place. With "get" and "make it" there is only a single preposition that works and it is the same for both. (both get and made it are very common, arrive is correct but a little more formal)

As Bosque said recently:

Why do we say get in a car or truck but get on a boat, ship, bus, train or plane?

Did our ancestors say get on a wagon that was uncovered and get in a covered wagon? Curious minds want to know.

Now that I think about it, a long time ago, the ship was the main mean of long distance transportation. Maybe that's why we say "on" for all the other methods of public transport even though we clearly are getting in/into them.

I can tell you the in/on rule for vehicles if you want. It clearly does not have to do with covered, as the bus, train and plane are covered, and a good part of the ship as well. :) - bosquederoble, Aug 9, 2017

And the canoe is not covered. Let me know if you want the rule. :) - bosquederoble, Aug 9, 2017

I want the rule - polenta1, Aug 9, 2017

If you normally stand/walk on it at some point, it is always on. You stand on a boat, a bus, a train, a plane, even if only to get to your seat. :) - bosquederoble, Aug 9, 2017

If you do not stand, if edges curve up, you are in , if flat or down, you are still on. You do not stand in a canoe- it has edges that go up, so in, same with a car. A horse does not curve up so on, a motorcycle on, but a motorcycle side car you are in. - bosquederoble, Aug 9, 2017

Because the side car has a lip, it forms a cup. The edges only matter of you do not normally (emphasize normally) stand. :) - bosquederoble, Aug 9, 2017

so you get in a small boat, like a rubber raft with edges, once the boat is big enough to stand you get on. A raft you always get on if it has no edges. You get on a flat floatie (flotador plano) even though you cannot stand. :) - bosquederoble, Aug 9, 2017

Answer 2

Estoy de acuerdo con DilKen!

1. Ayer llegué a Madrid.
2. I arrived in Madrid yesterday.
3. Cuando arribe a la estación de trenes, iré al baño.
4. When I arrive at the railroad station, I'll go to the restroom.
5. Julio César llegará a su trabajo en hora.
6. Julio César will arrive at his job on time.

Why do we say get in a car or truck but get on a bus, train or plane

And indeed get out of a car/truck, but get off of a bus/train/plane etc

Mas opciones interesantes por ingles..

1. I landed in Madrid yesterday (for airplane)
2. When I disembark at the railroad station, I'll go to the restroom (for train or boat)
3. The man alighted from the carriage at noon (from train or boat)

get to Madrid, arrive in Madrid but reach Madrid. Am I right? And then make it to Madrid. - polenta1, Aug 9, 2017