aqui y aca

Question

What is the difference between aquí and acá? How do I know when to use one over the other?

Answer 1

Aquí vs. Acá

Ah the different answers you can get for this.

Take your pick:

1. They mean the same
2. Aquí is a precise place (pointing), acá means over here in a vague way (waving my hand)
3. Acá is used with verbs of motion, aquí otherwise
4. Acá is more emphatic
5. Acá is more colloquial, aquí more formal.
6. There are regional differences, and it depends on where you are.

You can see here what happened when someone tried to give a more specific delineation and put it in a reference article here:

http://www.spanishdict.com/answers/183545/aqu-ac-ah-all-and-all-reference-page-

I am not going to claim to have a definitive answer.

Reading the link was both amazing (learning the regional difference) and also really funny at the same time. - HackerKing, Nov 3, 2015

Yes, I think I have heard that aquí is considered "prissy" in Argentina, but I won't swear to that. :) - bosquederoble, Nov 3, 2015

Answer 2

I would say that both are the same.

Ponlo acá/aquí, signaling with my finger the precise point where I want it.

Ponlo por acá/aquí, waving my hand or signaling with my finger through the general area where I want it.

Would that help?

So in Chile, you would choose my answer #1. Yes that helps. ;) - bosquederoble, Nov 3, 2015

Check the answer that lazarus1907 gave from the link you provided... :) - chileno, Nov 3, 2015

Answer number 4. ;) - bosquederoble, Nov 3, 2015

Answer 3

Yup, as bosquederoble said, the distinction between them varies by region. In some, they're perfect synonyms and in others you use "acá" with verbs of motion and "aquí" with all other verbs.

If you're learning out of a book, or have a teacher, I'd just follow the conventions of wherever your book/teacher is from, unless you have a specific preference (I was determined to learn Mexican spanish when I started learning)

Answer 4

I never say aquí... it's always acá for me. I'm from Argentina, Buenos Aires (some people do use aquí but mostly people from other provinces or older people). In my opinion they are the same.

Answer 5

In Colombia "aquí" or "acá" is the same thing So I'm agree with Chileno.

And I like bosquederoble answer. Great answer.

I agree with..... not I'm agree... ;) - chileno, Nov 3, 2015