allí
/aˈʝi/
In Spanish, "there" can be expressed by several words depending on the distance from the speaker and listener. If unsure, use allí. Wiktionary also lists ahí and allá.
Meaning: in or at that place (position) (adv)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| allí | /aˈʝi/ |
| ahí | /aˈi/ |
| allá | /aˈʝa/ |
| acullá (further than "allá") |
The words used for "there" are adverbs of position that indicate a location. In some contexts, ahí and allí can also function as nouns meaning "that place".
Which one should you use?
The choice between forms depends on how far the location is from the speaker and the listener. Use ahí to refer to a place relatively close to the person being spoken to. Use allí to refer to a place that is further away from both the speaker and the listener than ahí. Use allá for much more distant locations or to indicate a vague direction away from the speaker. Finally, acullá is used to indicate a place even further away than allá.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In parts of Latin America, the word allá can be replaced by allí or ahí.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/aˈʝi/
Did you know?
- While ahí is often a simple location, it is used in the common idiomatic expression ¡Ahí va!, which is shouted when throwing something to someone, similar to 'heads up' in English.
- The word ahí is actually a contraction of the Old Spanish words a and y, which meant 'to' and 'there' respectively.
- In many parts of Latin America, the strict distinction between ahí, allí, and allá is often ignored in favor of using allá for almost any distance.
Examples in context
- Voy a ir allí.I'm going to go there.This sentence shows how to use allí to express a destination.Tatoeba #6610233 by UsuarioX, translation #4442366 by CK
- La vi por ahí.I saw it over there.This sentence demonstrates using ahí to indicate a general area.Tatoeba #11737252 by Seael, translation #2406074 by CK
- Él no fue allí.He didn't go there.This sentence uses allí to describe a place someone did not visit.Tatoeba #2240447 by marcelostockle, translation #290442 by CK
- El libro está allí.The book is there.
- Trabajamos allí.We work there.
- Mi casa está allá.My house is there.
- Vamos a viajar allá.We are going to travel there.
- El jardín se encuentra en ese lugar.The garden is located there.
- Lo dejé ahí.I left it there.
- Vamos a encontrarnos ahí.We will meet there.
- Lo encontré allí mismo.I found it right there.
- Vamos a comer allí mismo.Let's eat right there.
- 1785 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and Sofía are looking for their lost keys in the living room.
- Javier¿Viste mis llaves?Did you see my keys?
- SofíaNo las veo, pero dejaste tu bolso allí.I don't see them, but you left your bag there.
- Javier¡Ahí están! Debajo del bolso.There they are! Under the bag.
- SofíaQué bueno que las encontraste.I am glad you found them.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “there” translations and entries allí, ahí, allá, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries acullá, ahí, allá, allí, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
