We use these expressions in speaking to indicate when someone or something is given or presented to you.
In particular, “here/there you go” is more commonly used to indicate objects or abstract ideas.
“Here” indicates when something is presented at this very moment and place.
“There” may be used for something that is not in the immediate moment and place, like so:
A: What is that girl’s name? It starts with an A… A… Alicia! That’s it!
B: There you go!
However, more often than not, both expressions are used to mean the same thing. When you ask for the bill at the end of a meal, for example, your waiter might bring it to you and say:
There you go!
Or
Here you go!
There is a slight difference in how we use “here/there you are”. We say this to refer directly to the person we are speaking with.
When you are waiting for someone and they show up as you expected, you can say,
There you are!
If you manage to find your friend in a busy shopping mall, you can also say to them,
Here you are!
As you can see, there is no distinct difference between the four expressions. In most situations, they can be used interchangeably and it often just comes down to your personal preference.
Author: Katy Lia, Cambly Tutor
If you’d like to keep this conversation going with Katy, give her a call on Cambly or make a reservation with her here: https://www.cambly.com/en/student/tutor/Katy%20Lia