tú ahí
/tu ai/from spelling rules
The Spanish phrase for "you there" is tú ahí.
tú ahí is used to address a person who is in a specific location. When you want to call someone out or get their attention abruptly, it is common to use the phrase exclamatorily as ¡Tú ahí!, which translates to "Hey, you there!"
How do you pronounce it?
/tu ai/
Did you know?
- The word tú is a direct relative of the archaic English word 'thou', sharing the same ancestral roots from Proto-Indo-European.
- Spanish distinguishes between three different words for 'there' depending on distance. Ahí specifically refers to a place near the listener but away from the speaker.
- Using ¡Tú ahí! can sound quite aggressive or confrontational in many Spanish-speaking cultures, often used by authorities or in moments of anger.
Examples in context
- ¡Eh tú! ¿Vienes a la fiesta?Hey you! Are you coming to the party?
- ¡Oiga! ¿Podemos hablar un momento?Hey! Can we talk for a moment?
Example conversation
Sofía sees Javier standing across the street.
- Sofía¡Hola, Javier! ¿Eres tú ahí?Hello, Javier! Is that you there?
- Javier¡Sí, soy yo! Hola, Sofía.Yes, it's me! Hello, Sofia.
- SofíaNo te veía por la multitud.I couldn't see you through the crowd.
- JavierYa estoy acercándome.I'm coming closer now.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ahí, tú, CC BY-SA 4.0.
