legar
Lemma Details
Translation: to bequeath; to leave in a will; to pass down; to hand down; to transmit
Part of Speech: verb
Etymology: Legar comes from Latin 'legare' meaning 'to appoint by a last will, to bequeath, to send as an ambassador'. It shares roots with English words like 'legacy' and 'delegate'. The Latin 'legare' is derived from 'lex' (law), highlighting the legal nature of bequeathing property or possessions to someone after death.
Commonality: 40%
Guessability: 70%
Register: formal
Example Usage
Mi abuelo me legó su colección de relojes antiguos.
My grandfather bequeathed me his collection of antique watches.
Los padres legaron la casa a sus hijos.
The parents left the house to their children in their will.
El artista legó todas sus obras al museo nacional.
The artist bequeathed all his works to the national museum.
Nos legaron una tradición que mantenemos hasta hoy.
They passed down to us a tradition that we maintain to this day.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'legacy' in English - what you leave behind when you die.
- LEGAr sounds like 'leg-acy' - what you pass down to others.
- Connect it to 'legal' in English, as bequeathing is a legal process.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
In Spanish-speaking cultures, the concept of leaving inheritance is deeply tied to family traditions and legal practices. The term is primarily used in legal contexts such as wills and testaments, and reflects the importance placed on family legacy and generational wealth transfer in Hispanic societies.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'legar' means 'to bequeath' or 'to leave in a will', 'llegar' means 'to arrive' or 'to reach'. They look and sound similar but have completely different meanings.
Notes: The pronunciation is different: 'legar' is pronounced [le-GAR] while 'llegar' is pronounced [ye-GAR] in most Spanish dialects.
Mnemonic: 'Legar' has one 'l' and deals with leaving things behind; 'llegar' has two 'l's and deals with arriving somewhere.
Explanation: 'Legar' means 'to bequeath', while 'ligar' means 'to bind', 'to tie', or colloquially 'to flirt' or 'to pick up someone'.
Confused word:
Juan intentó ligar con la chica en el bar.
Juan tried to flirt with the girl at the bar.
Notes: While 'legar' is formal and often used in legal contexts, 'ligar' has both formal uses (binding, connecting) and informal uses (flirting).
Mnemonic: 'Legar' has an 'e' like in 'legacy'; 'ligar' has an 'i' like in 'link' or 'tie'.