Aquí, allí, ahí, a-what?

Español
#1

Hola guapxs,

I’m having trouble with things like aquí and allí etc. I understand that aquí means ‘here’, but what’s the difference between words like allí and ahí? They even sound the same to me :frowning:

Graciiis

4 Likes
#2

I totally feel you @antomorr … and then there is acá and allá as well… to make the confusion perfect. Help? :wink:

#3

Hey, chicas :slight_smile:
I’m attaching the image of an exercise that I specifically created for this tricky topic! In the exercise you need to describe what’s in the circles using the different spatial references. Here the topic is combined with the demonstratives: “este” (this), “ese” (this) and “aquel” (that) which are also used for the same reference.

800×400 49.3 KB

There is a regional variation on this specific issue. In some Spanish speaking countries you’ll hear “acá” and “allá” and in some others “aquí” and “allí”. They’re interchangeable and we all natives understand both variations! :slight_smile: It’s up to you to pick the one you like the most, like a buffet kind of thing :rofl:.

Hope this helped!

9 Likes
#4

Gracias @MariaJSalmeron! So it’s just a matter of how far away something is? That’s manageable :sweat_smile:

Just to be clear, acá = ahí and allá = allí, right? I might start using acá just to tell them apart :smiley:

#5

Yeah it’s totally manageable!
aquí = acá
ahí = ahí
allí = allá

For medium distances, we use the same one ;).

2 Likes
#6

And then in Mexico, you have a saying that goes “aquí, allá, acullá”. :sweat_smile: “here there, and over there”.
Acullá is just another way of saying something is even further away than “this” and “that”.

4 Likes