reach and arrive

Question

Can anyone help me with a clear difference between 'reach' and 'arrive' for me?

I was thinking that usually you would use 'reach' for when you get to somewhere on your way to your destination and you would use 'arrive' for when you get to your destination.

e.g When you reach London Road turn left and keep walking until you arrive at my house.

Any help would be appreciated.

Jack

Pieanne · Accepted Answer

First, "reach" is transitive, and "arrive" is not. "Reach" can mean "arrive in/at":

reach (ARRIVE) Show phonetics
verb T
1 to arrive at a place, especially after spending a long time or a lot of effort travelling:
We won't reach Miami till five or six o'clock.
They finally reached the coast after five weeks sailing.
News of his accident had only just reached us.

(courtesy of Cambridge)

But it also has meanings of its own, which don't mean "arrive", but "be able to touch", for example, or when you try to phone someone.

Anonymous · Answer

Could you also explain the difference between arrive in and arrive at?

Pieanne · Answer

There was a thread about it a short time ago, I'll see if I can find it. In short, you arrive in a big place (town, country...), and at a smaller one (airport, house...)

Here it is Arrive in or arrive at?

Anonymous · Answer

thank you so much Pieanne <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/5.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/5.gif' alt='Emotion: wink'/>

Anonymous · Answer

i think use of reach for own self eg. i m reaching to delhi but use of arrive for others except ownself
eg. my brother is arriving to delhi

Red blue 409 · Answer

"Reach" implies it takes some efforts to get to a place or point. "Arrive" simply means get to a place

reach and arrive

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