aquí / aí / alí
Here and There
aquí = here, near me. aí = there, near you. alí = over there, far from both of us.
How It Works
Three distances.
- aquí: where I am. Estou aquí (I am here).
- aí: where you are, or close to you. O teu libro está aí (Your book is there, by you).
- alí: away from both of us. A praia está alí (The beach is over there).
They match the demonstratives. Aquí goes with este, aí with ese and alí with aquel (see demonstratives).
With estar and hai. Use them with estar to say where something is (Está alí) and with hai to say what is there (Aquí hai un bar).
Useful phrases. por aquí means around here and por aí means around there. Aí mesmo means right there. Ven aquí! means Come here!
Even further. Acolá points to a place further away, often as the second of two places: Este pono aquí e os outros acolá (Put this one here and the others over there).
Spelling. All three have a written accent on the last vowel. Aí has no h, and alí has a single l.
Examples (6)
- Estou aquí!
I'm here!
- O teu libro está aí, ao teu lado.
Your book is there, next to you.
Aí is a place close to the listener.
- A praia está alí.
The beach is over there.
Alí is far from both people.
- Hai unha farmacia por aquí?
Is there a pharmacy around here?
Por aquí means around here.
- Ven aquí, por favor.
Come here, please.
- Aquí fai sol e alí chove.
It's sunny here and it's raining over there.
Common Mistakes
Writing aí with an h.
O libro está ahí.O libro está aí.Galician writes aí without h.
Writing alí with a double l.
A praia está allí.A praia está alí.Galician writes alí with a single l.
Leaving the accent off aquí.
Estou aqui.Estou aquí.Aquí is stressed on its last vowel, so it needs a written accent.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The three place words point to locations relative to speaker and listener.
Related Patterns
- velaquí / velaíHere It Is: Velaquí and Velaí
Velaquí and velaí present something that is here or there.
Level 3 - diante de / detrás de / preto deExpressions of Place
More precise words for where things are.
Level 2 - Present of estar
Estar tells where something is.
Level 1 - haiThere Is and There Are: Hai
Hai tells what there is in a place.
Level 1 - que / quen / onde / cando / comoQuestion Words
Onde? is the question these words answer.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice aquí / aí / alí in Bubblegum
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