When to use acá vs aquí?

Question

Don't know when to use either! Does it really matter though? If so, is there an easy way to remember?

Welcome to SD - you could always try using the SD dictionary above. If you complete your SD profile that will help us help you. - ian-hill, Sep 30, 2014

Then I would give you a vote for a good question. - ian-hill, Sep 30, 2014

Answer 1

My Costa Rican teacher said they are the same. People seem to use them interchangeably. I think some of it may be regional preference.

Answer 2

I am sure someone will have a different opinion, so I will start by quoting an old thread here:

http://www.spanishdict.com/answers/4460/aca-o-aqui-alla-o-alli

lazarus 1907

"Acá" is slightly less precise than "aquí", but their meanings are pretty close.

"Allá" is similar to "allí", but less precise. It refers to a non specified place far from the speaker.

My rule of thumb is that if I can use “over here” I use acá, if not (such as it is right here) I use aquí.

But there is a wide area of overlap where I think you can use either.

Wait for other answers, I am sure others will have an opinion.

Answer 3

Every time I used aquí when I was in Colombia the native speaker would say acá So I think maybe they don't use aquí very much, like bosqueroble said in his last post.

One native speaker (from Bolivia) said there is no difference, unlike allá and allí (another discussion).

Yes, you get the sense in that link I posted that there are quite a number of various opinions. Interesting in the link, someone in Colombia said they prefer aquí. Pablo has said, if i remember correctly, that he always uses acá. - bosquederoble, Sep 30, 2014

The Mexicans on the thread seem to be the most loyal to using one for one thing and the other for the other. :) - bosquederoble, Sep 30, 2014

Answer 4

Interesting thread regarding the regional use of acá vs. aquí with native speakers from a variety of countries chiming on their preference. It appears that in the Southern Cone- aquí is in fact almost dead, or at least not in favor.

There are three pages- I will only bring over the initiating post.

There is at least one decidedly non-PC post near the top of the second page.

http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=1049827

Leyendo el hilo aca, recientemente iniciado por Cangrejo, decidí consultar con ustedes sobre algo que me llama mucho la atención.

He notado últimamente que, con muchísima frecuencia, en Chile y también en este foro, en lugar del adverbio aquí se usa acá, incluso si se trata de un lugar precisamente definido: "acá en Chile".

He puesto atención al lenguaje coloquial y formal, por lo menos aquí en Chile, y, como digo más arriba, el uso de acá es ampliamente mayoritario en casos en los que, en rigor, debería usarse aquí.

Parafraseando el título de otro hilo reciente: ¿está muriendo el adverbio aquí?.

Answer 5

I think

acá = around here / and is less precise than aqui.

A bit like "Come over here" and "Come here"

That is how I would use them.

Answer 6

And I would also like to quote an answer from Bosque's thread above which I really liked ..

I saw this explanation in a book today: In many countries acá is used instead of aquí when used with a verb of movement, such as venir. Likewise allá is used instead of allí when used with a verb of movement, such as ir.

Estoy aquí................I'm here. Juana está allí..........Juana is over there Ven acá....................Come here. Ve allá.......................Go over there (')

This basically draws further on the explanation I extended in my first answer .. but it may also vary between different countries, in some country they may be exactly interchangeable but one may be more in use than the other .. So I think it depends

Answer 7

I read this in a Spanish Vocabulary book that acá is more like "over here" .. for example .. venga acá por favor ... and aqui is just "here" in general sense .. like no hay Kangaroos aquí (there are no Kangaroos here).

This is my understanding but I am not a native so there may be more to it .. hehe