student asking question

What's the main difference between a "legacy" and a "heritage?"

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

Great question! Simply put, "legacy" is what one leaves behind either when you pass away or when you leave a place. "Heritage," on the other hand, is something you inherit from your family or culture or has been marked as something historically valuable within a place or family. "Legacy" is about the future, and "heritage" is about the past. Ex: This building is part of the town's heritage. Ex: I want to leave behind a great legacy for my grandchildren when I pass away.

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