ahí está
/ai esta/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'there he is' can be translated into Spanish as ahí está.
This expression is used when spotting someone who was being looked for or expected. It is often used as an exclamation when the person is finally located, such as ¡Ahí está! (There he is!).
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ahí está is composed of ahí (there) and está (is/is located).
Which one should you use?
While ahí está is common, allí está is used if the person is spotted at a greater distance from both the speaker and the listener.
Did you know?
- In an argument, you can use ahí está figuratively to mean 'that is the point' or 'that is the heart of the matter'.
- You can use ahí está sarcastically to point out a predictable mistake, functioning much like the English expression 'there you go'.
- The word ahí is an ancient linguistic hybrid, combining the Latin prefix a- with the Old Spanish word y which meant 'there'.
Examples in context
- Ahí está.There he is.This example shows the use of ahí está.Tatoeba #1098544 by Espi, translation #1740860 by Spamster
- ¡Ahí está el repartidor!There is the delivery man!
- Mira, ahí está tu hermano.Look, there is your brother.
Example conversation
Lucía and Daniel are waiting for a friend at a cafe.
- Lucía¿Ves a Carlos por alguna parte?Do you see Carlos anywhere?
- Daniel¡Ahí está! Está cruzando la calle.There he is! He is crossing the street.
- Lucía¡Qué bueno que por fin llegó!I'm so glad he finally arrived!
- DanielSí, ya lo veo venir.Yes, I see him coming now.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ahí, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
