Sono qui
/ˈso.no ˈkwi/word by word
In Italian, Sono qui is the way to say "I am here".
Sono qui is a phrase used to state that the speaker is present in a specific location.
Which one should you use?
While Sono qui is the standard way to express your presence, Mi trovo qui. serves as a more formal alternative.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Naples and the surrounding areas of Southern Italy, you may hear the regional variation Sto ccà.
How does it change in a sentence?
The subject pronoun Io (I) is optional in the phrase Io sono qui because the verb conjugation sono already indicates that the subject is the first-person singular.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈso.no ˈkwi/. It has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- Because the verb sono is so specific to the first person, adding Io to the phrase can actually make you sound overly dramatic or emphatic, as if you are saying 'I, and no one else, am here'.
- The word qui evolved from the Latin phrase eccum hīc, which functioned more like 'behold here'.
- The verb sono is a linguistic shapeshifter, as it is the same form used for both 'I am' and 'they are' in certain contexts.
Examples in context
- Io sono qui ora.I am here now.This sentence shows how to specify the time of your presence using Sono qui.Tatoeba #4752042 by Guybrush88, translation #4751751 by Barra
- Sono qui con te.I am here with you.This sentence shows how to express being with someone using Sono qui.Tatoeba #10918560 by Guybrush88, translation #10510355 by CC
- Sono qui per affari.I am here on business.This sentence shows how to state the reason for your presence using Sono qui.Tatoeba #3135349 by Guybrush88, translation #61602 by CK
- Quando il direttore chiede della mia presenza, rispondo: "Mi trovo qui."When the director asks about my presence, I reply: "I am here."
- Desidero informarvi che mi trovo qui per partecipare alla riunione.I would like to inform you that I am here to attend the meeting.
- Amici, sono qui!Friends, I am here!
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lorenzo arrives at the park to meet Giulia.
- LorenzoGiulia, sono qui!Giulia, I am here!
- GiuliaTi vedo, Lorenzo.I see you, Lorenzo.
- LorenzoSei arrivata in tempo?Did you arrive on time?
- GiuliaSì, sono appena arrivata.Yes, I just arrived.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (sono, qui) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries qui, sono, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
