Aici

Aici is a Romanian adverb of place meaning "here." It denotes a location near the speaker and is used to indicate where something is or to draw attention to the present location. It is common in both spoken and written Romanian and is contrasted with acolo, meaning "there."

Usage of aici typically places the word at the start or before the verb or noun phrase that describes the location. Examples include "Vreau să fiu aici" (I want to be here), "Dă-l aici" (Give it here), and "Aici este problema" (Here is the problem). As a discourse element, aici can introduce a topic or emphasize immediacy, as in "Aici, haideți să începem" (Here, let’s begin).

Etymology and related forms: Aici is part of the native Romanian lexicon and functions as a basic demonstrative adverb. Linguists generally view its development as rooted in Proto-Romanian with connections to the Latin demonstrative hic, though etymological explanations vary among scholars. The word has remained stable in standard Romanian and is used across dialects, though some regional variants may differ in cadence or emphasis.

Variations and phrases: Frequent collocations include "până aici" (up to here), "de aici înainte" or "de aici înainte" (from now on/from this point forward), and "aici încolo" (from here on). These phrases show how aici combines with prepositions or particles to express spatial or temporal scope.

See also: Romanian language; demonstratives.