llegar tarde
Lemma Details
Translation: to be late; to arrive late
Part of Speech: phrase
Etymology: This phrase combines 'llegar' (to arrive, to reach) from Latin 'plicāre' (to fold, to bend) which evolved to mean 'to arrive' in Vulgar Latin, and 'tarde' (late) from Latin 'tarde' (slowly, late). The semantic evolution shows how the concept of 'folding one's journey' came to mean completing it or arriving.
Commonality: 90%
Guessability: 70%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
Siempre llego tarde a las reuniones.
I always arrive late to meetings.
Si sales ahora, llegarás tarde al concierto.
If you leave now, you'll be late for the concert.
Disculpa por llegar tarde, había mucho tráfico.
Sorry for being late, there was a lot of traffic.
Mi jefe se enoja cuando llegamos tarde.
My boss gets angry when we arrive late.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'llegar' as 'leg-ar' - your legs are what get you places, but if they're slow, you'll 'llegar tarde'.
- Associate 'tarde' with the English word 'tardy', which means late.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
In Spanish-speaking cultures, punctuality expectations can vary significantly. In some countries like Spain, arriving 15-30 minutes late to social gatherings is common and even expected (this is sometimes called 'la hora española' or Spanish time). However, for business meetings, punctuality is generally expected across most Spanish-speaking countries.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'llegar tarde' means 'to arrive late', 'llegar temprano' means 'to arrive early', which is the opposite.
Confused word:
Llegué temprano a la entrevista para causar buena impresión.
I arrived early to the interview to make a good impression.
Notes: These phrases are direct opposites and are commonly used in everyday conversation.
Mnemonic: Tarde sounds like 'tardy' (late), while temprano sounds like 'temporary' - if you arrive early, you have temporary free time before the event starts.
Explanation: 'Llegar tarde' is a verbal phrase meaning the action of arriving late, while 'es tarde' is a statement meaning 'it is late' (referring to the time).
Notes: 'Es tarde' refers to the time being late, not necessarily a person being late.
Mnemonic: 'Llegar tarde' involves movement (arriving), while 'es tarde' is just stating a fact about the time.