qua e là
/ˈkwa ˈe ˈla/word by word
The English phrase "here and there" is translated into Italian as qua e là.
Meaning: in one place and another (adv)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of qua (here), e (and) and là (there).
Which one should you use?
While the phrase qui e lì is also grammatically possible, qua e là is the more common idiomatic pairing used to express the concept of "here and there".
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkwa ˈe ˈla/
Did you know?
- The word qua is derived from the Vulgar Latin phrase eccum hāc, which combines a pointing gesture with a demonstrative pronoun.
- The phrase qua e là shares a common ancestral root with the French çà et là, reflecting a shared Latin heritage for expressing spatial distribution.
Examples in context
- Cominciò a camminare qua e là per la cucina.He started walking here and there around the kitchen.This sentence shows how to use qua e là to describe movement within a specific area.Tatoeba #11732573 by Nuel, translation #11732572 by Nuel
- La colpa è degli stessi cacciatori, perché i loro cani sono così malconci che corrono qua e là abbaiando così forte da spaventare le mie capre e, come tanti lupi, le spingono lontano dai pendii verso la riva.These sportsmen are themselves to blame, for their dogs are so badly broken that they ran about here and there barking so loudly that they alarmed my goats, and like so many wolves drove them from the slopes towards the shore.This sentence illustrates the phrase used to describe the scattered movement of animals.Tatoeba #12763939 by Guybrush88, translation #6212710 by Hybrid
- Trovai buchi qua e là.I found holes here and there.This sentence shows how to use qua e là to describe the scattered location of objects.Tatoeba #1018611 by riccioberto, translation #71728 by CM
Example conversation
Francesco and Chiara are tidying up a messy living room.
- FrancescoCi sono dei vestiti qua e là sul divano.There are some clothes here and there on the sofa.
- ChiaraHai ragione, dobbiamo mettere in ordine.You're right, we need to tidy up.
- FrancescoMetto via tutto subito.I'll put everything away right away.
- ChiaraGrazie, Francesco, così finiamo presto.Thanks, Francesco, that way we'll finish quickly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “here and there” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (qua, e, là) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries e, là, qua, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
