Do you know how to say "there" in Spanish? There are three different ways: ahí, allí and allá. Today's lesson will explore the differences and similarities between them in both pronunciation and usage.
Let's learn how to pronounce the three ways to say "there" in Spanish.
When listening to this word, keep in mind that the letter h in Spanish is silent (see Spanish Alphabet: Letters and Pronunciation to review this and more). Let's hear it in context:
Ahí está.
There it is.
Caption 10, Animales en familia La operación de Yaki - Part 1
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Although the word allí in Spanish is often confused with words like hay, ay, and ahí, its pronunciation is actually different from ahí due to the double L (ll) sound in Spanish, which is equivalent to the letter y. Let's listen to it:
Allí, los productos son muy frescos.
There, the products are very fresh.
Caption 11, Ariana Cena especial
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Hence, the pronunciation difference between the words ahí and allí can be broken down as follows:
ahí = ah-ee
allí = ah-yee
That said, this difference can be very hard to hear for non-native speakers, especially with accents from Spain or other regions where the ll/y sound is quite subtle. This sound is, however, more distinct in other regions like the Dominican Republic, where it sounds like a soft g or j, and Argentina and Uruguay, where it sounds like "sh," as we hear in this caption:
Por allí, están los botones "hide".
Over there are the "hide" buttons.
Caption 34, Julieta Promo
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The difference in the final letter makes the word allá stand out even more from its predecessors. Let's hear it pronounced:
Aha... allá.
Uh-huh... there.
Caption 55, Aprendiendo con Priscilla Juego de palabras
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Now let's explore the difference in meaning between the different words for "there" in Spanish.
The RAE (Real Academia Española) defines the word ahí as "en" or "a ese lugar" ("in" or "to that place") or simply "ese lugar" (that place). Having said that, remember that ese in Spanish is the "nearer" version of "that" with definitions ranging from "near the speaker," "far from the speaker but near to the listener" or "close but not within reach." With this in mind, let's see a couple of examples of the word ahí in context.
¿Me puedo sentar ahí? -Claro.
Can I sit there? -Of course.
Caption 27, Confidencial: Broma pesada Capítulo 1 - Part 8
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Ahí está.
There it is.
Caption 41, Ana Carolina Recorrido por el parque
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While the English translation of the definition for allí is the same as for ahí ("in" or "to that place" or "that place"), the difference lies in the replacement of the word ese with aquel, which also means "that" but constitutes a further distance (as explained in this lesson on demonstrative adjectives) that might be thought of as "far from both the speaker and the listener." Its translation can thus be either "there" or "over there." Let's see two examples where the speakers refer to locations far from where they currently are:
Y allí existe una de las mayores huertas de España,
And there, there is one of the biggest vegetable gardens in Spain,
Caption 41, Soledad Ensaladilla de brócoli
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y allí estuve durante diez años;
And I was there for ten years,
Caption 23, Luis Guitarra Influencias musicales - Part 1
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According to the RAE, one definition of allá, which can also be translated as "there" or "over there," is "en aquel lugar o sus proximidades" (in that place or its vicinity), making the term a bit more vague. Let's see an example:
Sin embargo, uno de los ecosistemas más importantes de la zona está allá. En el mar.
However, one of the most important ecosystems of the area is over there. In the sea.
Caption 65, Instinto de conservación Parque Tayrona - Part 2
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Allá can also be used in lieu of allí to emphasize the distance of a particular place:
Y pues entré a hacer mi maestría allá en Moscú, de... de imagen.
And well, I went to do my master's degree there in Moscow in... in photography.
Caption 40, Bogotá Fotógrafo José Segundo Quinche Pérez
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Although we have explored the primary definitions for the Spanish terms ahí, allí and allá, note that if you scroll further down in the entry for ahí, the RAE actually lists allí and allá as synonyms! This is because, like the words for "here" in Spanish (aquí and acá), the use of the words for "there" varies vastly from region to region and person to person, leading many speakers to use these terms differently or interchangeably. Let's see a couple of examples that deviate from the parameters we have learned:
¡Oh, mira ese vestido allá!
Oh, look at that dress over there!
Caption 23, Cleer y Carolina De compras
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Y ahí, no es como Madrid que sales cuando te da la gana, es que allí, no paras.
And there, it's not like in Madrid where you go out when you feel like it, it's just that there, you never stop.
Captions 18-20, Arume Barcelona
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To conclude today's lesson, let's concisely sum up what we have learned:
1. Generally speaking, ahí describes something relatively close to the speaker and/or listener. It is most typically translated as "there."
2. Allí usually describes something further away from both the speaker and listener. It is most typically translated as "there" or "over there."
3. Allá is similar to allí, but less specific, and can also be employed to emphasize distance. Its translations are "there" or "over there."
4. There is a great deal of overlap in the manner in which these words for "there" are used in spoken Spanish, which is often influenced more by the individual or region than any strict parameter of distance or grammatical rule.
That's all for this lesson. We hope that it has helped you to understand the differences and similarities among the three different ways to say "there" in Spanish, and don't forget to write us with your questions and comments.
Since its straightforward translation is "to arrive," you might wonder if the Spanish verb llegar is worth a whole lesson. However, this is language, and we always find new meanings, uses, and/or idiomatic expressions. That said, let's take a few minutes to analyze this verb and see a qué conclusión podemos llegar ("what conclusion we can draw" or "come to").
When we refer to a place, llegar means "to arrive."
Soñé que llegaba al colegio y estaba sin ropa.
I dreamed that I arrived at school and I was [there] with no clothes.
Caption 27, Los Años Maravillosos - Capítulo 1
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Llegar can additonally mean to reach someone, either physically or emotionally. If someone shuts you out, no hay forma de llegar a esa persona (there's no way to reach that person). On the other hand, in the example below, the team at Biopark had not been able to physically reach the leopards.
No había forma de... de llegar a ellos.
There wasn't any way to... to get close to them.
Caption 27, Animales en familia - Un día en Bioparc: Cachorro de leopardo
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Again with this idea of reaching, llegar can also be used with an amount or specific point in space as we see in the following examples:
Supongo que si están un poquito más chaparritos,
I guess if you're a little bit shorter,
les ha de llegar al pecho.
it should come up to your chest.
Caption 24, Alan x el mundo - Mi playa favorita de México!
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Podremos estar llegando
We could be reaching
a los ochocientos mil euros aproximadamente.
eight hundred thousand euros approximately.
Caption 32, Los Reporteros - Crecen los robos en tiendas
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And speaking of money, there is a Spanish idiom that includes this verb: llegar a fin de mes (literally "to make it to the end of the month"), which is the Spanish equivalent of "making ends meet."
Llegar can be used with seasons, months, or times of day as well to indicate their beginning or arrival. In this context, it often translates as "to come": Cuando llega la noche / "When night comes" or "falls."
...y lo tuvo con ella hasta que llegó la primavera.
...and had him with her until spring came.
Caption 41, Cleer - El patito feo
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Another meaning of llegar is "to achieve." It is actually a verb that collocates with éxito (success), so if you become succesful, has llegado al éxito (you've achieved success).
De las etapas por las que pasan los conjuntos
Of the stages that groups go through
en su desarrollo y a lo que pueden llegar.
in their development and what they can become.
Captions 74-75, Arturo Vega - Entrevista
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Another possible translation of llegar is "to manage to" since when you llegas a hacer algo, you've succedeed in doing it after some effort.
...de lo que yo quería como llegar a expresar, ¿sí?
...to what I wanted to, like, manage to express, right?
Caption 13, Bogotá - Fotógrafo José Segundo Quinche Pérez
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Sometimes, when llegar follows si to introduce a condition, it makes that condition a bit more remote since si llego a enterarme de algo is closer to if I happen to/manage to hear anything.
Si llega a saber cualquier cosa que suceda
If you come to find out anything that happens
entre Milagros y su hermano, hágamela saber.
between Milagros and her brother, let me know about it.
Captions 21-22, Muñeca Brava - 33 El partido
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Si llega a pillarlos, me avisa y consigo la cámara.
If you manage to catch them, let me know and I'll get the camera.
Caption 72, Los Años Maravillosos - Capítulo 4
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As you may notice, many of the meanings of the verb llegar are comparable to those of the English verb "to get" (e.g "to reach," "to arrive," "to manage," etc.).
We hope this lesson has been clear, but si llegan a tener dudas (if you happen to have any questions), don't forget to send us your questions, comments, and suggestions. ¡Hasta la próxima!
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