aqui
“aqui” means “here” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
here
📝 In Action
El libro está aquí, en la mesa.
A1The book is here, on the table.
Ven aquí, por favor.
A1Come here, please.
¿Hay un baño por aquí?
A2Is there a bathroom around here?
at this point
Also: now
📝 In Action
Y es aquí donde la historia se pone interesante.
B1And it's at this point that the story gets interesting.
Hasta aquí, todo claro.
A2Up to this point, everything is clear.
De aquí a un mes, me mudo de casa.
B2A month from now, I'm moving.
✏️ 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
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin phrase 'eccum hic', which meant something like 'look here!' or 'behold, this spot'. Over centuries, it shortened and smoothed out to become the modern Spanish 'aquí'.
First recorded: Around the 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
💡 Master Spanish
Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!
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.