adverb

qui

here

Indica il luogo in cui si trova chi parla o dove avviene qualcosa vicino a lui.

Definition & meaning

qui is an adverb of place used to indicate a location that is close to the speaker.

Here / In this place: It refers to the immediate vicinity of the person speaking. For example: Vieni qui (Come here).
At this point / In this situation: It can be used figuratively to refer to a specific moment or stage in a discourse or an argument. For example: Qui volevo arrivare (This is the point I wanted to reach).

Grammar & Word origin

qui is an invariable adverb of place. It is often used interchangeably with the adverb qua , although in some regions and specific contexts, qui is perceived as referring to a more restricted or precise location than qua.

It derives from the Latin word hic, meaning "here".

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms

qua : Commonly used as a direct synonym, though sometimes qua is felt to be slightly less precise or more generic than qui.
in questo luogo : A longer, more formal phrasing meaning "in this place".

Antonyms

lì : Used to indicate a location that is far from the speaker but relatively near the person being addressed.
là : Used to indicate a location that is distant from both the speaker and the listener.