Culminating changes (llegar a ser)

To express "to become" when it involves a long process, effort, or a culminating transformation, use the phrase llegar a ser.

The humble monk eventually became a saint.
El monje humilde llegó a ser santo.

Translating literally to "to arrive to be," it emphasizes the journey and the final outcome, such as an ordinary person achieving a high status over time.

Because of his compassion, the monk became a public figure.
Por su compasión, el monje llegó a ser una figura pública.

Using "llegar a ser"

Follow llegar a ser with a noun or an adjective to describe the final status. Just remember to conjugate llegar to match the subject.

Even though they were ordinary people, they became saints.
A pesar de que fueron personas ordinarias, llegaron a ser santos.

When used with verbs like poder (to be able to), llegar stays in its infinitive form.

A humble person can become a leader of the faith.
Una persona humilde puede llegar a ser un líder de la fe.

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