How to Say "here" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “here” is “aquí” — use 'aquí' to indicate a precise location very close to the speaker..
aquí
/ah-KEE//aˈki/
Examples
El bolígrafo está aquí, sobre el escritorio.
The pen is here, on the desk.
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?
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).
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!
acá
Examples
Ven para acá, quiero mostrarte algo.
Come over here, I want to show you something.
presente
preh-SEN-teh/pɾeˈsente/
Examples
El director no está presente hoy.
The director is not present today.
Necesitamos enfocarnos en la situación presente.
We need to focus on the current situation.
La crisis está presente en toda la región.
The crisis is present throughout the whole region.
El presidente dijo que el peligro ya no está presente.
The president said that the danger is no longer present.
Always Agrees
As an adjective, 'presente' changes its form slightly to match the noun it describes, though it usually stays 'presente' for both masculine and feminine, singular nouns. For plural nouns, it becomes 'presentes'.
Mixing Adjective and Noun
Mistake: “Usar 'presente' como sustantivo sin 'el' (Use 'presente' as a noun without 'el').”
Correction: When talking about the current time, you must use the article 'el': 'El presente es ahora' (The present is now).
ten
/ten//ˈten/
Examples
Ten, se te olvidó tu paraguas.
Here, you forgot your umbrella.
Ten, se te cayó la cartera.
Here, you dropped your wallet.
Ten cuidado al cruzar la calle.
Be careful when crossing the street.
Ten paciencia, por favor. Ya casi termino.
Have patience, please. I'm almost done.
An Informal Command
'Ten' is a command you give to one person you know well, like a friend or family member (the 'tú' form). It's the 'bossy' form of the verb 'tener' (to have).
Where does 'ten' come from?
This is a special, short command form of the verb 'tener'. If you look at the verb chart, you'll see it under Imperative Affirmative for 'tú'. Notice how irregular it is!
Using 'ten' formally
Mistake: “Speaking to a stranger or your boss and saying, 'Ten, su bolígrafo.'”
Correction: For someone you'd call 'usted', you should use 'tenga'. For example, 'Tenga, su bolígrafo.' It shows more respect.
Negative Commands
Mistake: “Telling a friend 'No ten miedo' to mean 'Don't be afraid'.”
Correction: The negative command is different. You need to say 'No tengas miedo'. 'Ten' is only for positive (affirmative) commands.
AquÍ vs. Acá
Related Translations
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