You’re Not Here in Spanish | Say It Right Every Time

The usual phrasing is “No estás aquí,” then adjust for formality, distance, and whether you mean location, attention, or availability.

You’ve got a short English line that can mean a few different things: someone isn’t physically present, they’re absent from a call, they’re mentally checked out, or they’ve gone missing from where they’re expected to be. Spanish can say all of that too, yet the “cleanest” match depends on what you mean in the moment.

If you only need one safe default, start with No estás aquí. It’s natural, it’s clear, and it fits daily speech. Then, when context shifts, swap a piece: the pronoun, the place word, or the whole verb.

What “You’re Not Here” Means Before You Translate It

In English, “You’re not here” often hides the real message. Spanish tends to say the real message out loud. That’s why choosing your version first saves you from clunky lines later.

Physical absence

This is the plain meaning: the person isn’t in the spot you’re talking about. Spanish leans on estar for location, so you’ll usually land on No estás aquí.

Mental absence

Sometimes you’re talking to someone who’s standing right next to you, yet their attention is elsewhere. Spanish often switches to estar presente or phrases that point at attention.

Availability

On calls, in chat, or at work, “You’re not here” can mean “You’re not reachable.” Spanish can say that directly: No estás disponible or No estás conectado, depending on the setting.

Unexpected absence

If someone should be in a place and isn’t, Spanish can sound a bit sharper. You may hear No apareces (“you’re not showing up”) or No estás (“you’re not here / you’re not around”).

Taking “You’re Not Here in Spanish” From Literal To Natural

The literal idea is simple: no + a form of estar + a place word. That’s why No estás aquí maps neatly to “You’re not here.” The Royal Spanish Academy’s entry for estar frames it as the verb used for a person’s state and for being in a place. RAE dictionary entry for “estar” backs that “being located” sense in plain terms.

From there, you’ve got three quick levers that change the tone without changing the core meaning: (1) who you’re talking to, (2) which “here” you mean, and (3) whether you mean body or attention.

Pick your “you”: tú, usted, or ustedes

Spanish marks formality more openly than English. That choice affects the verb form, not the message.

• Tú (informal, one person): No estás aquí.
• Usted (formal, one person): No está aquí.
• Ustedes (one group): No están aquí.

If you’re rusty on the verb forms, the Academy’s conjugation help page lists the model patterns for Spanish verbs, including estar. That’s handy when you’re writing and want the right accent marks and endings. RAE verb conjugation models lays out the forms in a reference-friendly way.

Pick your “here”: aquí vs acá

Both can mean “here,” yet they don’t always feel the same. In many places, aquí points to a more defined spot, while acá can feel more like “around here” or “over here,” and it’s common in speech across much of Latin America. The Academy’s grammar section on locative adverbs notes usage patterns and contrasts across forms like aquí, allí, acá, and allá. RAE grammar note on locative adverbs is a solid reference when you want grammar-grounded wording.

So you might say:

• No estás aquí. (You’re not here, right at this spot.)
• No estás acá. (You’re not here / you’re not around here.)

Neither is “wrong.” It’s a tone and region choice. If you don’t know the reader’s region, aquí is the safer default in writing.

Core Phrases And When Each One Fits

Below are options you’ll run into, with the job each one does. Use the one that matches your meaning, not the one that mirrors English word-by-word.

Spanish line	Closest meaning	Best use
No estás aquí.	You’re not here.	Plain physical absence; general-purpose default.
No está aquí.	You’re not here. (formal)	Customer messages, formal notes, polite distance.
No están aquí.	You all aren’t here.	Talking to a group that’s missing.
No estás acá.	You’re not around here.	Casual speech; “over here” feel in many regions.
No estás presente.	You’re not present.	Mental absence; attention is elsewhere.
No estás conmigo.	You’re not with me.	Emotional or relational distance; can feel personal.
No estás disponible.	You’re not available.	Calls, schedules, messaging status, work settings.
No apareces.	You’re not showing up.	Someone was expected; mild frustration or urgency.
No estás.	You’re not here / not around.	Short, punchy, spoken Spanish; relies on context.

That table gives you coverage for daily talk, texts, and workplace lines. Now let’s tighten the match by looking at tone, intent, and the hidden meaning English often carries.

Formality And Tone Without Sounding Stiff

Spanish formality is less about fancy vocabulary and more about pronouns and verb forms. If you write No está aquí, it reads polite without trying too hard. If you write No estás aquí, it reads direct and familiar.

Softening the line

Sometimes “You’re not here” can land like an accusation. Spanish gives you quick ways to make it gentler while staying clear.

• No te veo aquí. (“I don’t see you here.”) Softer, since it points to your view.
• No apareces por aquí. (“You’re not showing up around here.”) Casual, a touch playful in the right setting.
• Parece que no estás aquí. (“It seems you’re not here.”) Adds a small cushion.

Making it sharper

If you need a firmer tone, Spanish can do that too.

• No estás aquí todavía. “Still not here.” Useful when time matters.
• No estás donde dijiste. “You’re not where you said.” Clear and direct.

Pronunciation And Accent Marks That Trip People Up

Two accent marks show up a lot in this topic: estás and aquí. Those little marks do real work, and Spanish readers notice when they’re missing.

Quick pronunciation guide

• No estás aquí: “noh ehs-TAHS ah-KEE”
• No está aquí: “noh ehs-TAH ah-KEE”
• No están aquí: “noh ehs-TAHN ah-KEE”

If you’re learning by ear, it helps to hear native audio. SpanishDictionary has audio and example sentences for common lines like No estás aquí, which can help you lock in stress and rhythm. SpanishDictionary example for “No estás aquí” includes usage and pronunciation.

A small writing tip: when you type fast, it’s easy to drop the accents and still feel “understood.” Readers can still decode you, yet polished Spanish keeps them. If your article, app, or UI is in Spanish, those accents are part of the professionalism readers expect.

Match The Phrase To The Scene

Let’s put the options into real situations. This is where you get the biggest “sounds native” win for the least effort.

Situation	Best Spanish	Why it fits
You arrive and the person isn’t there.	No estás aquí.	Direct location statement with the usual verb for place.
Formal check-in at a desk or appointment.	No está aquí.	Polite form, still clear and short.
A group didn’t show up.	No están aquí.	Agrees with a plural “you.”
You’re on a call and they’re not connected.	No estás disponible.	Says availability, not physical location.
You’re talking to them, yet they’re distracted.	No estás presente.	Points at attention without guessing motives.
They said they’d be in one spot and aren’t.	No estás donde dijiste.	Names the mismatch cleanly.
You’re teasing a friend who vanished from chat.	No apareces por aquí.	Casual tone; “showing up” reads playful in context.

Notice how the “best” Spanish keeps changing because the meaning keeps changing. That’s normal. Spanish isn’t dodging your English line; it’s saying what you meant.

Regional Notes That Keep You Out Of Trouble

Spanish is shared across many countries, and some choices feel more local than others. A few quick cues keep your wording widely readable:

• Aquí is the safest “here” for broad audiences in writing.
• Acá often feels more conversational and is frequent in many Latin American settings.
• Vos exists in places like Argentina and Uruguay; you may see No estás aquí stay the same, yet other verbs around it shift in a longer sentence.

If you’re writing for a mixed audience, pick a neutral option and stick with it. Switching between tú and vos in the same piece can feel messy unless you’re teaching the contrast on purpose.

Common Mistakes And Clean Fixes

These are the slip-ups that show up in blogs, captions, and translations done in a hurry.

Using “ser” for location

English uses “to be” for many things. Spanish splits that job. For location, Spanish leans on estar, so No eres aquí sounds off. Use No estás aquí.

Dropping accent marks

Estas and estás can point to different meanings in other contexts, and readers expect the accent on the verb form here. Same with aquí.

Over-literal “You are not in here” lines

Beginners sometimes write No estás en aquí. Spanish doesn’t work that way. Use aquí alone, or use a noun: No estás en la oficina.

Choosing a phrase that sounds harsher than you meant

No estás conmigo can sound personal. If you only mean attention, No estás presente is clearer and less loaded.

Ready-To-Copy Lines For Texts And Messages

Here are clean options you can paste into real conversations. They’re short, readable, and they don’t try to do too much.

Casual

• No estás aquí. ¿Dónde andas?
• No apareces por aquí hoy.
• No estás. Te escribo luego.

Neutral

• No estás aquí todavía. Avísame cuando llegues.
• No estás disponible ahora. Te llamo más tarde.
• No estás presente. ¿Te pasa algo?

Formal

• No está aquí en este momento.
• No está disponible ahora. ¿Podría llamarle más tarde?
• No se encuentra aquí. ¿Desea dejar un mensaje?

That last set adds se encuentra, a polite option used in many formal contexts. It’s a clean fit when you’re speaking on behalf of a desk, office, or service setting.

A Quick Checklist Before You Hit Publish

Use this as a final pass when you’re writing an article, a UI string, or a subtitle line:

• Do you mean location, attention, or availability?
• Are you speaking to one person or a group?
• Is the tone casual (tú) or formal (usted)?
• Will readers from different regions read this? If yes, lean on aquí in writing.
• Did you keep the accents in estás and aquí?

If you follow that list, you’ll land on Spanish that reads natural, stays clear, and matches what you meant instead of what English happened to say.