Understanding Aquí vs Acá in Spanish

Aquí and acá can be pretty tricky for Spanish learners, because they both mean “here,” but there can be slight differences in their uses. So how do you know which word to use? And what about other similar words like ahí, allí and allá? 

Here we’ll go through how to use different Spanish location words and when to fall back on aquí and acá.

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The Difference Between Aquí and Acá

Both aquí and acá can be used to mean “here,” either “in this place” or “toward this place.”  Their meanings are so similar that they’re pretty much interchangeable, and their more specific nuances depend greatly on cultural nuances across regions.

For example, in Spain you’ll hear acá used with para to say “come (to) here,” like this: Tiene que venir para acá para la fiesta. (She has to come here for the party.)

Meanwhile, my Peruvian husband could tell me when aquí and acá sounded right or wrong, but couldn’t tell me exactly why.

There are no clear rules for which word to use and, generally, you can use either one and make perfect sense. Just pick one and stay consistent. 

The best way to get a sense of when things “sound right,” the way my husband does is through exposure. Basically, the more authentic Spanish you consume, the better you’ll get at understanding when to use which word. This is true for so many Spanish concepts, not just aquí and acá. 

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What Does Aquí Mean?

Aquí translates to “here” in English and it’s used to indicate physical or temporal location.

Here are some examples: 

Estoy aquí. — I’m here.
Ponlo aquí. — Put it here.
Mira, ¡hay un gato aquí! — Look, there’s a cat here!
De aquí en adelante, las cosas cambiarán. — From now on, things will change. 

Here are some more examples:

Aquí can also be used to casually introduce someone. For instance:

Aquí está mi amiga Ángela. (Here is my friend, Angela.)

What Does Acá  Mean?

The Spanish word acá means “here, close to the speaker.” But as I’ve said: It’s very similar to the word aquí and in many cases, the two words can be used interchangeably.

However, acá is more often used when the speaker and listener aren’t in the same place, but the thing you’re pointing out is near the person speaking. 

Here are some examples:

Acá está mi libro. — My book is here.
Ven acá. — Come here.
Acá en España, la paella es muy popular. — Here in Spain, paella is very popular.

And here are some more examples:

Note that you can use aquí in any of the above cases and still be correct, but the nuance is a bit different. For instance you can say ven aquí but it sounds more like a command you’d use with a child, more informal. 

Either way, you’ll be understood no matter which word you use.  

More Location Words: Ahí, Allí and Allá

Spanish actually has even more location words than aquí and acá. Introducing ahí, allí and allá, all of which mean a variation of “there.”

How do you know when to use each word? Here’s a breakdown: 

Ahí — There (close by)

Meaning: There (medium distance, within reach or sight)

Examples:

El teléfono está ahí, en la mesa. (The phone is there, on the table.)

¿Quieres sentarte ahí conmigo? (Do you want to sit there with me?)

Deja las llaves ahí sobre el mostrador. (Leave the keys there on the counter.)

Allí — There (further away)

Meaning: There (greater distance, further away, not necessarily within sight)

Examples:

Mira, mi casa está allí, al otro lado de la calle. (Look, my house is over there, across the street.)

Los niños juegan allí en el parque. (The children are playing over there in the park.)

¿Ves a María? Está allí saludando a alguien. (Do you see Maria? She’s over there greeting someone.)

Allá — There (farthest away, often metaphorical)

Meaning: There (far away, distant, often metaphorical)

Examples:

Vive muy lejos de aquí, allá en otro país. (She lives far away from here, over there in another country.)

En sus sueños, viajaba a lugares lejanos, allá donde todo era posible. (In her dreams, she traveled to faraway places, over there where everything was possible.)

No te preocupes, allá te estaremos esperando. (Don’t worry, we’ll be waiting for you over there.)

Review: Spanish Location Words Table

Feeling a little lost in all these location words? Here’s a helpful table summarizing the key differences:

Need to talk about things that are here, there or way over on the other side of the planet? Use one of these location words in Spanish! 

And One More Thing…

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