llegada
Lemma Details
Translation: arrival; coming; advent; entrance
Part of Speech: noun
Etymology: Derived from the past participle of the verb 'llegar' (to arrive), which comes from Latin 'plicāre' meaning 'to fold, bend' that evolved to mean 'to approach, arrive' in Vulgar Latin. The English cognate 'plicate' (to fold) shares this Latin root, though the meaning diverged significantly. The semantic shift from 'folding' to 'arriving' occurred because of the idea of 'bending one's path toward a destination'.
Commonality: 80%
Guessability: 50%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
La llegada del tren está prevista para las ocho.
The arrival of the train is scheduled for eight o'clock.
Celebramos la llegada del bebé con una fiesta.
We celebrated the baby's arrival with a party.
Su llegada al poder cambió la historia del país.
His rise to power changed the country's history.
A la llegada del otoño, los árboles cambian de color.
Upon the arrival of autumn, the trees change color.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'llegada' as 'yay-GAHD-ah' - like saying 'Yay! God! Ah!' when you finally arrive somewhere after a long journey.
- Associate with 'leg' - your legs carry you to your arrival destination.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Cultural Context
In Spanish-speaking countries, 'llegada' is commonly used in transportation contexts (airports, train stations) but also has broader cultural significance in expressions like 'la llegada de la primavera' (the arrival of spring) or 'la llegada del Año Nuevo' (the arrival of the New Year), marking important temporal transitions.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: 'Llegada' is the feminine noun meaning 'arrival', while 'llegado' is the past participle of 'llegar' used as an adjective meaning 'arrived'.
Notes: The gender difference (feminine vs. masculine) helps distinguish the noun from the participle.
Mnemonic: 'LlegadA' ends in 'A' for 'Arrival' (noun), while 'llegadO' ends in 'O' for 'Occurred' (past action).
Explanation: 'Llegada' means 'arrival' while 'llamada' means 'call' or 'phone call'. They look and sound similar but have completely different meanings.
Confused word:
Recibí una llamada importante esta mañana.
I received an important call this morning.
Notes: Both are common feminine nouns in everyday Spanish.
Mnemonic: 'Llegada' has double 'l' followed by 'e' (lle-) like in 'llegó' (he arrived), while 'llamada' has double 'l' followed by 'a' (lla-) like in 'llamar' (to call).