Location
One of the main vocabulary sets in chapter 2 is learning how to say where something, schools supplies in particular, is located. Students will use these words to describe location and take a quiz on this information by the end of the week.
Remember you must use the Spanish verb ESTAR when discussing location.
Here is the conjugation you will be using, in case you forgot:
Presente – Present Tense
- yo estoy – I am
- tú estás – you are
- vos estás – you (South American) are
- él/ella/usted está – he/she/you (formal) are
- nosotros/as estamos – we are
- vosotros/as estáis – you (plural) are
- ustedes están – you (plural) are
- ellos/as están – they are
(Source and more info on estar: https://www.clozemaster.com/blog/estar-conjugation-in-spanish/ Links to an external site.)
Here and There
Let's start with the basics - words that help us point and indicate where something is. These are:
| Spanish | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| aquí/acá | (ah-KEE/ah-KAH) | here |
| ahí | (ah-EE) | there |
| allí/allá | (ah-YEE/ah-YAH) | there, over there |
Notice that in Spanish, the perspective of being 'there' acquires another level. Although both ahí and allí are translated as 'there,' the latter indicates a further distance point than ahí.
Also, whereas Spaniards use the forms aquí and allí, in Latin America you'll hear their equivalents acá and allá more often.
Let's see some examples:
- Tus gafas están aquí. (Your glasses are here.) No te olvides de llevarlas. (Don't forget to take them.)
- Estamos todos acá en casa. (All of us are here at home.) ¿Te vienes? (Are you coming?)
- A: ¿Dónde pusiste el libro? (Where did you put the book?) B: Ahí, encima de la mesa. (There, on the table.)
- A: ¿Conoces el nuevo restaurante italiano del centro? (Do you know the new Italian restaurant in the center?) B: Sí, estuvimos allí ayer. (Yes, we were there yesterday.)(source and more info: https://study.com/academy/lesson/location-words-in-spanish.html#lesson Links to an external site.)
Here is a list of 33 of the most common location words: (These are usually adverbs or prepositions) (A quizlet to help you study these words can be found here: https://quizlet.com/70788731/spanish-location-words-flash-cards/ Links to an external site.)
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| a la derecha de | to the right of |
| a la izquierda de | to the left of |
| abajo | down, below, downstairs |
| al lado de | beside, next to |
| al norte de (etc) | to the north of (etc) |
| allá | over there |
| allí, ahí | there |
| aquí, acá | here |
| arriba | up |
| cerca de | close to |
| cerca, cercano | close |
| contra | against |
| debajo | under, below |
| dentro | inside |
| derecha | right |
| derecho, recto | straight ahead |
| en | in, on |
| encima de | on top of |
| enfrente de | in front of |
| entre, en medio | between |
| este | East |
| frente | front |
| hacia | toward |
| izquierda | left |
| lejos | far |
| lejos de | far from |
| norte | North |
| oeste | West |
| por la derecha | on the right |
| por la izquierda | on the left |
| sobre | over, above |
| sur | South |
| detrás (de) | behind, in back of |
(Source and more info: https://www.livelingua.com/spanish/vocabulary/location/ Links to an external site.)
Here are some videos that go over more information on this topic. Happy studies!
Basic Spanish Lesson: Prepositions of Place
Links to an external site.
Spanish Lesson: Prepositions & Adverbs in Spanish
Links to an external site.
Spanish Prepositions of Location Song and Dance
Links to an external site.