When you want to describe an achievement that took an extraordinary amount of time, effort, or skill to reach, use the verb llegar (to arrive) followed by the preposition a and an infinitive verb.
This structure, llegar a + infinitive, translates roughly to "to manage to" or "to succeed in" doing something.
| That prodigy managed to complete a historical feat. | Ese prodigio llegó a completar una hazaña histórica. |
| The young woman managed to reach unthinkable fame. | La joven llegó a alcanzar una fama impensable. |
Reaching unthinkable heights
Because llegar a implies a long or difficult journey, it is the perfect verb to pair with milestones that once seemed impensable (unthinkable) or inimaginable (unimaginable), such as reaching a summit (la cumbre) or achieving glory (la gloria).
| The athlete slept at the summit and managed to survive. | El deportista durmió en la cumbre y llegó a sobrevivir. |
| The team managed to touch glory after a good match. | El equipo llegó a tocar la gloria después de un buen partido. |
| She managed to rule an unimaginable empire. | Llegó a gobernar un imperio inimaginable. |
Going to extremes
While often used for positive achievements, llegar a + infinitive can also describe extreme, unexpected, or drastic actions. In these cases, it translates closer to "to go so far as to" do something.
| The singer went so far as to abandon stardom. | La cantante llegó a abandonar el estrellato. |
| The company went so far as to lose its reputation in a bad moment. | La empresa llegó a perder su reputación en un mal momento. |
