Aqui, Aí, Ali, Lá: Portuguese Words for “Here” and “There”
Choose a Portuguese word for here or there by asking who is speaking, who is listening, and how far away the place feels.
Real Life Portuguese · 7 min read · Updated October 14, 2026
The short answer
Aqui usually points to the place where the speaker is or to a nearby location: Estou aqui (I’m here). The reference depends on the conversation, so imagine where the speaker is standing before choosing a word for a place.
Use aqui for the speaker’s location
A speaker can also use aqui for a place that feels close in the current conversation, such as a city, room, or workplace. The exact size of the area is flexible; context makes the reference clear.
Estou aqui na entrada.
I’m here at the entrance.
A gente mora aqui em São Paulo.
We live here in São Paulo.
Pode esperar aqui um minuto?
Could you wait here for a minute?
Use aí for a place near the listener
Aí often points to a place near the person being spoken to: O documento está aí com você? (Is the document there with you?). This speaker-listener contrast is useful on a phone call, when each person is in a different location.
In casual Brazilian conversation, aí can also appear in other discourse uses, but begin with its location meaning. Pay attention to who is holding or near the object before interpreting the word.
Você está aí no hotel?
Are you there at the hotel?
A chave está aí com você?
Do you have the key there with you?
Deixei o carregador aí na sua mesa.
I left the charger there on your desk.
Use ali and lá for places away from the speaker
Ali and lá can both refer to a place away from the speaker. Ali often works for a place that can be pointed out or is within view; lá can point to a more distant place or one understood from the conversation. The difference is not always strict, and speakers may use them with some flexibility.
Try pointing to a spot in the room for ali, then mention a place across town or outside your view for lá. Treat these as helpful orientation cues rather than fixed distances that apply in every conversation.
A farmácia é ali na esquina.
The pharmacy is over there on the corner.
Meu trabalho fica lá no centro.
My workplace is over there downtown.
Vamos sentar ali perto da janela.
Let’s sit over there near the window.
Choose the word from the point of view in the conversation
When you speak by phone, the same object can be aqui for one person and aí for the other. Ask yourself: where is the speaker, where is the listener, and is the place close enough to point out? If a listener looks confused, use the place name or add a gesture.
Ciberdúvidas explains the speaker-listener distinction and notes that the exact contrast between some place words can be flexible. For a practical travel context, review the Real Life Portuguese guide to asking for directions and practice giving one location from two different viewpoints.
Estou aqui. Você está aí?
I’m here. Are you there?
O café é ali; a estação fica lá adiante.
The café is over there; the station is farther ahead.
A bolsa está aqui comigo, não aí com você.
The bag is here with me, not there with you.
Put it into practice
Draw a speaker, a listener, and two other locations. Label each one with aqui, aí, ali, or lá, then describe the same object from the other person’s point of view.
Quick practice
Which Portuguese example matches “I’m here at the entrance”?
Choose an answer to check yourself.
Keep practicing with the Real Life Portuguese app
Build on this guide with everyday expressions and native Brazilian audio. Choose iPhone, Android, or the web app.