legado
nounCEFR B2
What does “legado” mean in English?
legacy, heritage
legacy, heritage (something handed down from the past; el legado cultural/histórico; dejar un legado)
Example sentences
El legado de las industrias extractivas del siglo XX sigue condicionando la salud de los suelos y el tejido económico de muchas regiones.
The legacy of the extractive industries of the 20th century continues to shape the health of soils and the economic fabric of many regions.
Todo líder político deja un legado que los historiadores evaluarán con perspectiva, lejos de las pasiones del momento.
Every political leader leaves a legacy that historians will evaluate in perspective, away from the passions of the moment.
How to use it
El legado means 'legacy' — something handed down from one generation or period to the next: a material inheritance, but also cultural, institutional, intellectual, or environmental heritage. At B2 it is widely used in historical, political, environmental, and cultural discourse: el legado histórico, el legado industrial, el legado de una política, dejar un legado. Key construction: el legado de X (the legacy of X), dejar un legado (to leave a legacy). The verb dejar + legado is the core collocation. Note: legado also means 'envoy' or 'papal legate' in historical contexts — the abstract sense is primary at B2.
Common mistake
Legado (legacy — what is left behind for the future) vs herencia (inheritance/heritage — what is received from the past). Both overlap in meaning, but legado emphasises forward transmission (what you leave), while herencia emphasises backward reception (what you receive). 'Cultural heritage' = 'patrimonio cultural' or 'herencia cultural'; 'political legacy' = 'legado político'.