Adverbs of place answer the question ¿dónde? ("where?"). They tell you where an action happens or where something is located. Latin American Spanish has some distinctive preferences here, particularly favoring acá and allá over the more Iberian aquí and allí.
Here, There, and Everywhere in Between
Spanish makes a three-way distinction where English makes only two ("here" vs. "there"). There are also parallel forms (aquí/acá, allí/allá) that differ slightly in feel.
| Spanish | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| aquí | here | right where I am |
| acá | here | around here (more common in LatAm) |
| ahí | there | near you / nearby |
| allí | there | over there (specific) |
| allá | (over) there | general / distant (common in LatAm) |
Ven acá, por favor.
Come here, please.
Acá and Allá in Latin America
In most of Latin America, acá and allá are the default choices in speech. Spaniards lean toward aquí and allí. Both sets are correct everywhere, but you'll sound more natural in Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, and most of the region if you favor acá/allá.
There's also a subtle difference: acá/allá feel a bit fuzzier — "around here" or "over there somewhere" — while aquí/allí point to a more specific spot. With verbs of motion, acá and allá are almost always preferred.
Vengan acá todos.
Everyone come over here.
Up, Down, Inside, Outside
These adverbs describe direction or relative location. Unlike prepositions, they don't need a following noun — they stand alone.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| arriba | up, upstairs |
| abajo | down, downstairs |
| adentro (dentro) | inside |
| afuera (fuera) | outside |
| delante | in front |
| detrás | behind |
| encima | on top |
| debajo | underneath |
Mis llaves están arriba, en mi cuarto.
My keys are upstairs, in my room.
Ponlo encima, por favor.
Put it on top, please.
In Latin America you'll hear adentro and afuera more than the Iberian dentro and fuera, especially as free-standing adverbs.
Near and Far
Cerca means "close" and lejos means "far." To specify what you're close to or far from, add de + a noun.
Mi casa está cerca.
My house is close by.
El aeropuerto queda lejos del centro.
The airport is far from downtown.
Vivo cerca de la universidad.
I live near the university.
Other Common Place Adverbs
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| enfrente | opposite, across |
| alrededor | around |
| al lado | next to |
| en todas partes | everywhere |
| en ninguna parte | nowhere |
| en alguna parte | somewhere |
Busqué en todas partes y no lo encontré.
I looked everywhere and didn't find it.
Place Adverb + De = Preposition
Many place adverbs turn into prepositional phrases when you add de: cerca de ("close to"), lejos de ("far from"), encima de ("on top of"), debajo de ("underneath"), delante de ("in front of"), detrás de ("behind"). The bare adverb needs no noun; the de form introduces one.
El gato está debajo de la cama.
The cat is under the bed.
Common mistakes
❌ Ven aquí a mí.
Wrong: aquí already means 'here' — adding a mí is redundant.
✅ Ven aquí.
Correct: aquí is sufficient on its own.
❌ El libro está en arriba.
Wrong: arriba is an adverb and does not take the preposition en.
✅ El libro está arriba.
Correct: arriba functions as an adverb without en.
❌ Vamos a afuera.
Wrong: afuera already implies direction — the preposition a is redundant.
✅ Vamos afuera.
Correct: afuera works on its own in Latin American Spanish.
Where to Next
- Adverb Position — where to drop these in a sentence
- Adverbs of Quantity — muy lejos, un poco arriba, and so on
Related Topics
- Adverbs OverviewA1 — An introduction to Spanish adverbs, what they modify, and the main categories you'll encounter
- Adverb PositionA2 — Where adverbs go in a Spanish sentence, with the main tendencies and the flexibility you have
- En: LocationA1 — How en covers in, on, and at when describing location in Spanish.
- Demonstrative Adjectives (Este, Ese, Aquel)A1 — Three degrees of distance for 'this', 'that', and 'that one over there'