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"Llegar" is an intransitive verb which is often translated as "to arrive", and "tomar" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to take". Learn more about the difference between "llegar" and "tomar" below.
llegar(
yeh
-
gahr
)
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
intransitive verb
a. to arrive
¿Sabes si ya llegó Miguel?Do you know if Miguel has arrived yet?
b. to get
Voy a llegar al restaurante un poco atrasado.I am going to get to the restaurant a little late.
c. to get here (approaching)
¿Sabes cuándo llegarán?Do you know when they'll get here?
d. to get there (moving away)
¿Cuánto tardaremos en llegar?How long will it take us to get there?
e. to be here (approaching)
Pronto llegarán tus primos.Your cousins will soon be here.
f. to be there (moving away)
No saben decir a qué hora llegarán.They're not sure what time they'll be there.
a. to come
El fin de semana llegó rápido.The weekend came quickly.
b. to arrive
Este año el otoño ha sido lento en llegar.Autumn has been slow to arrive this year.
a. to be enough
No me llega el sueldo, así que voy a pedir un aumento.My salary is not enough, so I'm going to ask for a raise.
a. to reach
¿Llegas al teléfono desde la cama?Can you reach the telephone from the bed?
a. to become
No llegarás a rico haciendo el vago.You won't become rich by slacking off.
b. to go
Con esa persistencia llegarás lejos.You'll go far with that persistence.
c. to make it
Mi sueño es llegar a los cien años.My dream is to make it to a hundred.
d. to come to
Con la información provista, demuestra cómo llegaste a tu conclusión.With the information provided, please show how you came to your conclusion.
a. to reach
El precio del barril de Brent llegó a los 100 dólares.The price of a barrel of Brent reached 100 dollars.
a. to stretch
Nuestras tierras llegan hasta el río.Our lands stretch to the river.
a. to come to
Obama llegó a la Casa Blanca a principios de 2009.Obama came to the White House at the beginning of 2009.
a. to manage to
¿Llegaste a ver el eclipse?Did you manage to see the eclipse?
a. to come up to
Después del aguacero, el agua me llegaba a la rodilla.The water came up to my knees after the downpour.
b. to reach
No llego a la bombilla para cambiarla.I can't reach the bulb to change it.
c. to touch
No me gustan las faldas que llegan hasta el piso.I don't like skirts that touch the floor.
a. to go as far as
El Camino de Santiago llega hasta el extremo oeste de España.The Camino de Santiago goes as far as the far west of Spain.
b. to go to
Esta ruta no llega al mar.This route doesn't go to the sea.
a. to last
Ojalá estas llantas me lleguen otras cien mil millas.Hopefully, these tires will last me another hundred thousand miles.
a. to come to
Esperemos que no llegue a eso.Let's hope it doesn't come to that.
b. to reach
Un jumbo puede llegar a una velocidad de 614 millas por hora.A jumbo jet can reach speeds of 614 miles per hour.
c. to be
Los arreglos a una bicicleta pueden llegar a más de mil dólares.Repairs to bicycles can be as much as a thousand dollars.
a.
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
no direct translation
Si llego a saber que tendrían nuevos episodios, no hubiera cancelado mi membresía.Had I known that they were going to have new episodes, I never would have cancelled my membership.
Si llegaras a ir al restaurante, tienes que probar la tarta de fresa.If you end up going to the restaurant, you must try the strawberry tart.
llegarse
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
pronominal verb
a. to go over to (moving away)
Llégate a casa de Rosa y pídele una taza de azúcar.Go over to Rosa's house and ask her for a cup of sugar.
b. to go round to (moving away)
Regionalism used in the United Kingdom
(United Kingdom)
Llégate a la tienda y cómprame leche, por favor.Go round to the shop and buy me some milk, please.
c. to come over to (approaching)
Llégate a casa de mi hermana mañana y nos pasamos un rato.Come over to my sister's house tomorrow and we can spend some time together.
d. to come by (approaching)
Llégate a la oficina después del trabajo.Come by the office after work.
e. to come around to (approaching)
¿Por qué no te llegas al estudio el sábado e improvisamos un rato?Why don't you come around to the studio on Saturday and we can jam a while?
f. to come round to (approaching)
Regionalism used in the United Kingdom
(United Kingdom)
Llégate al bar una tarde y tomamos algo.Come round to the bar one evening and we can have a drink.
a. to go up to
Me llegué a ella y le pedí un autógrafo.I went up to her and asked her for an autograph.
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tomar(
toh
-
mahr
)
A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
transitive verb
a. to take
Tomó el dinero y se lo metió en el bolsillo.He took the money and put it in his pocket.
a. to take (medication)
Él tiene que tomar sus medicamentos dos veces al día.He has to take his medication twice a day.
b. to have
Tomé atún para el almuerzo.I had tuna fish for lunch.
a. to take
Tuve que tomar el tren para ir a trabajar.I had to take the train to go to work.
a. to take
El enemigo tomó la ciudad en un día.The enemy took the city in a day.
a. to get
Sal y toma un poco de aire fresco.Go out and get some fresh air.
Deja de jugar tantos videojuegos y sal a tomar el sol.Stop playing so many video games and go out and get some sun.
a. to drink
Tienes que tomar mucha agua en estos días tan calurosos.You have to drink a lot of water on such hot days.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
intransitive verb
a. to drink
¿Ustedes desean algo para tomar?Would you like anything to drink?
8. (to consume alcohol)
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
(Latin America)
a. to drink
¿Quieres una copa de vino? - Gracias, pero no tomo.Would you like a glass of wine? - Thanks, but I don't drink.
tomarse
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
pronominal verb
a. to take
Necesito tomarme un respiro del trabajo.I need to take a break from work.
a.
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
no direct translation
No te lo tomes a pecho, pero no me gusta tu corte de pelo.Don't take it to heart, but I don't like your haircut.
¿Cómo se lo tomó?How did he take it?
a. to have
Voy a tomarme un mojito.I'm going to have a mojito.
a. to drink
Aún se toma demasiado.He still drinks too much.
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