Hither, thither, and whither are older direction words. They point toward a destination: hither means to this place, thither means to that place, and whither means to what place. They are easy to remember as the older movement set behind here, there, and where.
Hither, thither, and whither at a glance
| Word | Core meaning | Modern equivalent | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hither | To this place | Here | Come hither. |
| Thither | To that place | There | Send the horse thither. |
| Whither | To what place | Where to? | Whither do you go? |
The first two words normally answer “where to?” rather than “where?” Hither and thither describe a destination or direction. Whither turns that same idea into a question.
Use hither for movement toward this place
Hither means “to this place” or “toward the speaker.” It often appears after a verb of motion, invitation, or bringing something closer.
Invitation: Come hither, good friend.
Bringing something: Bring the lantern hither.
Arrival: The messenger came hither before dawn.
Direction: Turn hither at the old stone gate.
Modern equivalent: Come here and wait by the fire.
In ordinary modern English, come here is natural. In a fantasy, historical, or theatrical voice, come hither gives the line a more deliberately old-world tone.
Use thither for movement toward that place
Thither means “to that place” or “toward a place already mentioned.” It points away from the speaker, usually toward a destination in the conversation or scene.
Destination: We shall ride thither at first light.
Sending something: Carry this sealed letter thither.
Following: The guards went thither after the signal.
Contrast: Come hither, then lead me thither.
Modern equivalent: We shall ride there at first light.
The phrase hither and thither means “here and there” or “in various directions.” It describes restless movement rather than one fixed destination: The startled birds flew hither and thither.
Use whither to ask about a destination
Whither means “to what place” or “in what direction.” It is the question word in this set, so it usually appears in a question or in a clause about an unknown destination.
| Purpose | Older form | Modern meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Ask about travel | Whither do you go? | Where are you going? |
| Ask about a choice of direction | Whither shall we turn? | Which way shall we turn? |
| Express uncertainty | I know not whither he fled. | I do not know where he fled. |
| Ask about a future result | Whither will this road lead us? | Where will this road lead us? |
Modern English usually uses where for both location and destination, as in Where are you going? Whither keeps the older distinction visible and sounds formal, literary, or intentionally archaic.
Hither is not exactly here
The quickest way to choose is to ask whether the sentence names a location or movement toward a location.
| Modern word | Older direction word | Example pair |
|---|---|---|
| Here: at this place | Hither: to this place | I am here. Come hither. |
| There: at that place | Thither: to that place | The sword is there. Carry it thither. |
| Where: at what place | Whither: to what place | Where is he? Whither does he go? |
Do not force the older form into every sentence. The book is hither is not the clearest modern-style use; bring the book hither makes the direction unmistakable.
From here, from there, and from where
A related set points backward from a source rather than forward toward a destination: hence means “from here,” thence means “from there,” and whence means “from what place.”
| Direction | Near source | Far source | Unknown source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toward | Hither: to here | Thither: to there | Whither: to where? |
| From | Hence: from here | Thence: from there | Whence: from where? |
Compare the direction in each pair: Come hither moves toward the speaker, while Depart hence moves away from the speaker. The distinction is useful for careful writing, but modern English normally uses here, there, and from where.
How Shakespeare uses the three words
Shakespeare uses these words as precise movement markers. In Henry IV, Part 1, Hotspur says, “Whither I go, thither shall you go too,” pairing the question of destination with the place he names. The line makes the relationship between whither and thither especially clear.
Other plays use hither for arrival or approach and thither for a named destination. The words are not magical synonyms for “medieval”; they are older direction choices that can still be used accurately in a dramatic voice.
Six common mistakes
- Using hither for a static location: write I am here, but come hither for movement toward this place.
- Using thither for “from there”: write go thither for movement there; use thence for movement from there.
- Confusing whither with whether: whither asks where; whether introduces alternatives.
- Confusing whither with wither: wither means to dry up, fade, or lose strength.
- Writing whither for a static “where”: Whither do you go? asks about destination, not just present location.
- Adding old words at random: choose the direction word that matches the movement, then keep the rest of the sentence readable.
A five-line practice check
Come here, friend. → Come hither, friend.
We shall go there. → We shall go thither.
Where are you going? → Whither do you go?
Bring the map here. → Bring the map hither.
They fled in every direction. → They fled hither and thither.
For more old-world movement and journey lines, browse Medieval English Phrases. For pronoun and verb agreement, read Thou vs. Thee, Dost vs. Doth, and Hast vs. Hath.
Write a Shakespeare-inspired journey line
Frequently asked questions
What do hither, thither, and whither mean?
Hither means to this place, thither means to that place, and whither means to what place. In modern English, they usually correspond to here, there, and where are you going?
Is hither the same as here?
Not exactly. Hither points or moves toward this place, while here usually identifies a location. Come hither means “come to this place.”
What is the difference between whither and whether?
Whither asks about destination or direction: Whither do you travel? Whether introduces alternatives or uncertainty: I do not know whether to stay.
What are hence, thence, and whence?
Hence means from here, thence means from there, and whence means from what place. They describe a source or starting point rather than movement toward a destination.