Spanish Phrase
¿Cuándo va a llegar ahí?
Meaning
This question asks for the time at which someone is expected to arrive at a specific place that is not where the speaker is. It combines the future periphrastic construction with the demonstrative adverb 'ahí'.
When to use
Use it when you want to know the arrival time of a friend, family member, or transport at a location that is away from you—e.g., meeting at a restaurant, waiting for a delivery, or checking a travel schedule.
✦Grammar Breakdown
¿Cuándovaallegarahí?
¿Cuándo?
Interrogative adverb meaning 'when', always written with an accent to distinguish it from the conjunction 'cuando'.
Ir + a + infinitive
The periphrastic future 'ir a + infinitivo' expresses a planned or near‑future action, similar to English 'going to'.
llegar
Verb meaning 'to arrive' or 'to reach'. In this construction it stays in its infinitive form after 'ir a'.
ahí
Demonstrative adverb of place meaning 'there' (a place away from both speaker and listener).
🗨In Conversation
¿Cuándo va a llegar ahí?
When are you going to arrive there?
Llegará a las ocho de la tarde.
He/She will arrive at eight in the evening.
✕Common Mistakes
Cuando va a llegar ahí?
Missing accent changes the meaning; 'cuando' is a conjunction, not a question word.
¿Cuándo va a llegar a ahí?
The preposition 'a' is already part of the 'ir a + infinitive' construction; adding another 'a' before 'ahí' is redundant.
¿Cuándo va a llegar aquí?
'Aquí' means 'here', which contradicts the intended meaning of 'there'. Use 'ahí' or 'allí' for a location away from the speaker.
↔Alternatives
¿A qué hora vas a llegar?
At what time are you going to arrive?
¿Cuándo llegarás?
When will you arrive?
¿A qué hora estarás allí?
At what time will you be there?
Cultural Tip
In everyday Spanish, native speakers often prefer '¿A qué hora…?' over '¿Cuándo…?' when asking for a specific clock time. Also, make sure to use 'ahí' for a place that is neither here nor there; if the location is close to the listener, use 'aquí' or 'allí' accordingly. The periphrastic future (ir + a + infinitive) sounds more informal and immediate than the simple future (llegará).