arribar
Lemma Details
Translation: to arrive; to reach; to land; to put into port; to dock
Part of Speech: verb
Etymology: Arribar comes from Late Latin 'arripare', meaning 'to reach the shore', which is composed of 'ad' (to) and 'ripa' (shore, bank). This nautical origin explains why the verb is still strongly associated with ships arriving at port. The English cognate 'arrive' shares the same Latin root, though 'arribar' in Spanish has retained more of its maritime connotations than its English counterpart.
Commonality: 60%
Guessability: 70%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
El barco arribó al puerto después de tres semanas en el mar.
The ship arrived at the port after three weeks at sea.
Finalmente arribamos a una solución aceptable para todos.
We finally arrived at a solution acceptable to everyone.
Los inmigrantes arribaron a las costas en pequeñas embarcaciones.
The immigrants reached the shores in small boats.
Mnemonics
- Think of a 'rib' (part of 'arribar') as the wooden ribs of a ship that arrives at shore.
- Associate with English 'arrive' + 'harbor' to remember its nautical origins.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Cultural Context
While 'arribar' can be used generally to mean 'to arrive', in many Spanish-speaking countries it has a more specific nautical connotation and is less commonly used in everyday speech than 'llegar'. In maritime contexts, it's the standard term for a ship arriving at port.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'arribar' means 'to arrive' or 'to reach', 'arrimar' means 'to bring close' or 'to approach'. They sound similar but have different meanings and uses.
This word:
El crucero arribó al puerto de Barcelona.
The cruise ship arrived at the port of Barcelona.
Notes: 'Arribar' is more commonly used in nautical contexts, while 'arrimar' is used for physically moving objects closer together.
Mnemonic: Arribar ends with '-bar' like 'harbor' (for ships arriving); arrimar has 'rim' like the 'rim' of an object you approach.
Explanation: 'Arribar' means 'to arrive', while 'arrobar' means 'to enrapture' or 'to enchant'. They look and sound similar but have completely different meanings.
Notes: 'Arrobar' is much less common in everyday speech than 'arribar'.
Mnemonic: Think of 'arrobar' as containing 'rob' - it 'robs' you of your senses when you're enchanted.