aqui

/ah-KEE/

here

A friendly cartoon rabbit standing on a small, brightly colored rug, pointing its paw directly at the rug beneath its own feet, emphasizing its current location.

The primary meaning of aquí is 'here', indicating a location very close to the speaker.

aqui(Adverb)

here

location very close to the speaker

📝 In Action

El libro está aquí, en la mesa.

The book is here, on the table.

Ven aquí, por favor.

Come here, please.

¿Hay un baño por aquí?

Is there a bathroom around here?

Word Connections

Synonyms

acá (here)

Antonyms

allí (there (far))
ahí (there (near))

Common Collocations

de aquí para allá – from here to there / back and forth
por aquí – around here

Idioms & Expressions

de aquí en adelante – from now on

💡 Grammar Points

Here vs. There: The Three Distances

Spanish has three main words for distance. Use 'aquí' for what's right by you (this spot). Use 'ahí' for what's a little further, maybe near the person you're talking to (that spot). Use 'allí' for things far away from both of you (way over there).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Mixing up 'Aquí' and 'Acá'

Mistake: "Using 'aquí' and 'acá' as if they are exactly the same in all regions."

Correction: In many places, 'aquí' is for a fixed spot ('The keys are here') while 'acá' is for movement towards here ('Come here'). But in much of Latin America, 'acá' is just the more common, casual word for 'here' in general. When in doubt, listen to how locals use them!

⭐ Usage Tips

Answering the Phone

When someone asks for you on the phone, a very natural way to say "speaking" is simply 'Aquí,' meaning 'I'm here.'

A winding, green grassy path representing a timeline or process, with a large, stylized finger pointing down emphatically at a specific, brightly lit stone marker placed exactly in the center of the path.

Figuratively, aquí can mean 'at this point' in a discussion, process, or story.

aqui(Adverb)

at this point

in a discussion or process

Also:

now

referring to the present moment

📝 In Action

Y es aquí donde la historia se pone interesante.

And it's at this point that the story gets interesting.

Hasta aquí, todo claro.

Up to this point, everything is clear.

De aquí a un mes, me mudo de casa.

A month from now, I'm moving.

Word Connections

Synonyms

ahora (now)
en este punto (at this point)

Antonyms

entonces (then)

Common Collocations

he aquí – here is / behold
de aquí que... – hence... / that's why...

⭐ Usage Tips

Storytelling and Explaining

Use 'aquí' to mean 'this point in the story' or 'this is the important part'. It's a great way to guide your listener's attention when explaining a sequence of events.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: aqui

Question 1 of 2

Your friend is across the room and asks where her phone is. It's right next to you on your desk. What do you say?

📚 More Resources

Words that Rhyme with aqui

allí

así

marroquí

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the real difference between 'aquí' and 'acá'?

It's a great question because it's tricky! In some regions (like Spain), 'aquí' refers to a very specific, fixed spot ('I am right here'), while 'acá' can feel a bit more general or imply movement towards this area ('Come over here'). However, in many parts of Latin America, people use 'acá' almost all the time in casual conversation. It's one of the biggest regional differences in Spanish!

Why doesn't 'aqui' have an accent mark?

This is a common point of confusion! The Spanish spelling rules say that for words ending in a vowel, the natural stress falls on the second-to-last syllable. 'Aquí' is stressed on the LAST syllable ('ah-KEE'). To show this exception to the rule, we need an accent mark: 'aquí'. So, the correct spelling always has the accent mark.