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How to Say ‘I've arrived a bit late’ in Spain Spanish

He llegado un poco tarde

eh yeh-GAH-doh oon POH-koh TAR-deh

[eh yeh-GAH-doh oon POH-koh TAR-deh]

🇪🇸 In Spain: In Spain people use he llegado for something that just happened today. Many Latin Americans would say llegué instead.

Phrase Breakdown

He llegado

eh yeh-GAH-doh

I've arrived

The present perfect, very common in Spain for recent events. The 'h' is silent and 'll' sounds like 'y': 'eh-yeh-GAH-doh'.

Example

He llegado a casa.

I've got home.

Words in this phrase

[eh]

I have

Auxiliary 'haber' for the present perfect, used before a past participle.

Example

He comido mucho.

I have eaten a lot.

llegado

[yeh-GAH-doh]

arrived

Past participle of 'llegar' (to arrive), used with 'haber' to form the perfect tense.

Example

Ya ha llegado el tren.

The train has already arrived.

un poco tarde

oon POH-koh TAR-deh

a bit late

A softer way of saying 'late'.

Example

Llegó un poco tarde.

He arrived a bit late.

Words in this phrase

[oon]

An article used before a masculine singular noun.

Example

Busco un lugar donde me sienta valorado.

I’m looking for a place where I feel valued.

poco

[POH-koh]

little, bit

With 'un', means 'a little' or 'a bit'.

Example

Llegamos un poco tarde.

We arrived a bit late.

tarde

[TAR-deh]

late

Adverb meaning after the expected or usual time.

Example

Es tarde para cenar.

It's late to have dinner.

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