In a reality TV survival show, the drama builds over time. To describe actions that finally happen after a long process, or extreme measures taken by desperate competitors, Portuguese uses the verb chegar (to arrive) followed by the preposition a and an infinitive.
| to even / to go so far as to | chegar a |
Eventual Outcomes
When events build up to a conclusion, chegar a translates to "eventually" doing something, showing that an action was the culmination of a struggle.
| The tribe eventually wins immunity in the challenge. | A tribo chega a ganhar a imunidade no desafio. |
Extreme Measures
In highly dramatic situations, chegar a expresses shock or emphasis. It translates to "even," "actually," or "to go so far as to," highlighting that a boundary was crossed.
| They have to endure the cold and even faint. | Eles têm de suportar o frio e chegam a desmaiar. |
Past Drama
When recounting past betrayals or shocking moments, simply conjugate chegar in the past tense (such as chegou for "he/she/it" or chegaram for "they"). The main action always stays in the infinitive.
| Survival is hard and the competitor actually cried. | A sobrevivência é difícil e o concorrente chegou a chorar. |
| He went so far as to manipulate the tribe, but the betrayal was obvious. | Ele chegou a manipular a tribo, mas a traição foi óbvia. |
| The competitor fainted and even went to the hospital. | O concorrente desmaiou e chegou a ir para o hospital. |