Learn Spanish (Latin America): Esa mujer ordinaria llegó a tener éxito. - That ordinary woman came to be successful.

In Spanish, you do not 'be' successful; you 'have' success (tener éxito). Because expressing success requires the verb tener instead of ser, the structure naturally adapts to llegar a tener to describe how she eventually achieved that success.

What extra meaning does llegó a add here that a simple verb like tuvo (she had) wouldn't?

The structure llegar a plus an infinitive emphasizes culmination after a long process, struggle, or development. It tells us that her success did not happen overnight; she ultimately achieved it after putting in significant time or effort.

Is éxito related to the English word 'exit'?

No, éxito is a classic false friend. It means 'success', not a physical way out. If you are looking for an exit sign or a way out of a building, you need the word salida.

Does ordinaria mean the exact same thing as 'ordinary' in English?

Mostly yes, as it means 'common' or 'average' in this context. However, use it with caution! In many Latin American countries, calling a person ordinario or ordinaria can also be an insult meaning they are vulgar, rude, or unrefined.