afuera
“afuera” means “outside” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
outside, outdoors
Also: out
📝 In Action
El perro está jugando afuera en el jardín.
A1The dog is playing outside in the garden.
Hace un día precioso, ¿comemos afuera?
A2It's a beautiful day, shall we eat outside?
Si tienes calor, sal afuera a tomar un poco de aire.
A2If you're hot, go outside to get some air.
Desde mi ventana puedo ver lo que pasa afuera.
B1From my window I can see what's happening outside.
Out!, Get out!
📝 In Action
¡Afuera! No quiero volver a verte por aquí.
B1Out! I don't want to see you around here again.
El guardia de seguridad le gritó al ladrón: '¡Afuera de aquí ahora mismo!'
B2The security guard yelled at the thief: 'Get out of here right now!'
🔀 Commonly Confused With
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: afuera
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'afuera' to mean you are going to eat at a restaurant?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
'Afuera' comes from Old Spanish, which got it from a Latin phrase, 'ad foras'. 'Ad' meant 'to' and 'foras' meant 'outside' or 'out of doors'. So, it literally meant 'to the outside'!
First recorded: Around the 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the real difference between 'afuera' and 'fuera'?
They are very, very similar and often you can use either one. A small tip is that 'afuera' often suggests movement ('Vamos afuera' - Let's go outside), while 'fuera' can feel more like a fixed location ('Él está fuera' - He is outside). But honestly, don't stress about it! People will understand you with either word. Usage also changes by region; 'afuera' is more common in Latin America, and 'fuera' is more common in Spain.
Can I use 'afuera' to talk about the suburbs of a city?
Almost! For that, you use the plural form: 'las afueras'. For example, 'Vivo en las afueras de la ciudad' means 'I live in the outskirts/suburbs of the city'.