Advanced verb phrases: venir a, andar + gerund, llegar a
C1Grammar path · Lesson 85 of 86 · Stage C1 · Advanced expression
At C1 level these three verb phrases let you sound more nuanced. venir a + infinitive softens a figure or a conclusion, meaning 'roughly, amounts to': viene a costar cien dólares. andar + gerund describes someone going around doing something, often repeatedly, aimlessly or with a critical tone: anda diciendo tonterías. llegar a + infinitive shows an action reaching its peak or a surprising extreme, close to 'even, got to the point of': llegó a llorar. Learners often mix up andar + gerund and llevar + gerund. llevar always comes with a length of time, while andar just paints a scattered activity without counting time.
Practise this lesson · 9 sentences
Form
sujeto + venir (conjugado) + a + infinitivosujeto + no + llegar (conjugado) + a + infinitivo¿(palabra interrogativa) + andar (conjugado) + gerundio?When to use it
Approximating or summing up with venir a
Use venir a + infinitive to give an approximate figure or say that something basically amounts to something. It sounds softer and less categorical.
Repeated or wandering activity with andar + gerund
andar + gerund describes someone going around doing something in various places or repeatedly, lately. About other people it often sounds critical.
Reaching a peak or a surprising extreme with llegar a
llegar a + infinitive stresses that an action reached its highest or most surprising point. In the negative it means never quite getting to do something.
Signal words
Don't confuse it with
Frequently asked questions
Does venir a + infinitive mean 'come to do something'?
Yes, when venir is real movement: Vine a verte. As a verb phrase, though, viene a costar or viene a ser means 'roughly' or 'basically amounts to'.
How is andar + gerund different from estar + gerund?
estar + gerund just says an action is in progress. andar + gerund adds repetition, moving around, or a critical attitude: Anda contando chismes.
What does no llegar a + infinitive mean?
It means you never quite got to do something: No llegué a terminar el libro. It suggests you came close but it did not happen.
Can llegar a be replaced with incluso?
Roughly, both stress a surprising extreme, and they often appear together: Incluso llegó a pedir perdón. llegar a also adds the idea that it was the result of a process.
Can these perífrasis verbales be used in any tense?
Yes, you only conjugate the first verb: vino a confirmar, andaba buscando, llegará a ser. The second verb always stays an infinitive or gerund.