voilà
/bwaˈla/alternative form
The English phrase 'voilà' can be expressed in Spanish using voilà. It is also spelled voilá. Wiktionary also lists he ahí and he aquí.
Meaning: behold! (intj)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| voilà | /bwaˈla/ | alternative form |
| he ahí | /e ai/ (from spelling rules) | |
| he aquí | /ˌe aˈki/ | |
| helo ahí | /elo ai/ (from spelling rules) | |
| helo aquí | /elo aki/ (from spelling rules) | |
| vualá | /bwaˈla/ | |
| voilá | /bwaˈla/ | alternative form |
These expressions are used as interjections to mean 'behold!'
What does it mean word for word?
The literary form he aquí is composed of the verb he (meaning 'I have' or 'behold') and the adverb aquí (meaning 'here').
Which one should you use?
he aquí is used to point to something close to the speaker, while he ahí is used to point to something further away.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The expression 'He aquí' is a formal way to say 'behold'. For a more colloquial or casual tone when writing the loanword, use the phonetic spelling vualá.
How do you pronounce it?
/bwaˈla/
Did you know?
- The word he in he aquí is not actually a Spanish word but a remnant of the Arabic particle hā, which was used to grab someone's attention.
- Because vualá is a phonetic spelling of a French loanword, it is often used in Spanish to signal a 'magic' moment or the sudden reveal of a surprise.
- While he aquí looks like a verb meaning 'I have', it functions as a frozen expression that doesn't follow standard conjugation rules in modern Spanish.
Examples in context
- He aquí, tu nueva casa.Voilà, your new house.This sentence shows how to use he aquí to present something new.
- Ya pasa y vualá, está completo.It happens and voilà, it is completed.This sentence demonstrates the use of vualá to describe a completed action.
- Aquí está, el proyecto terminado.Here is the finished project.
- He aquí la solución definitiva a su problema de logística.Behold the ultimate solution to your logistics problem.
Example conversation
Alejandro shows María a finished craft project.
- María¿Cómo quedó el regalo para tu madre?How did the gift for your mother turn out?
- AlejandroTerminé de arreglarlo y voilà, aquí tienes.I finished fixing it and voilà, here you go.
- María¡Te quedó increíble, Alejandro!It looks incredible, Alejandro!
- AlejandroGracias, María, me alegra que te guste.Thanks, María, I'm glad you like it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “voilà” translations and entries voilà, he aquí, vualá, voilá, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ahí, aquí, he, he aquí, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
