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I realized that I use expressions like this a lot,

I am there at home.

instead of

I am at home.

Is it right? And if so then what is the difference between the two? The word "there" in the first expression looks redundant.

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    The first use is wrong or misleading. Wherever you are is here, not there. The only way that works is if you are specifically referencing a position relative to another person's perception of where you might be, but even then it would be an odd usage.
    – Robusto
    Jan 7, 2013 at 15:57
  • @Robusto so according to you, "are you there at the press confrence?" is also not correct?
    – Max
    Jan 7, 2013 at 17:08
  • You can ask if someone else is there. But from your perspective, you would always refer to where you are as here.
    – Robusto
    Jan 7, 2013 at 17:11

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I think your first usage is wrong and is very unlikely to be said by a native speaker. I think what you mean is I am here at home. This works but doesn't mean the same as I am home or in your case I am at home. Here emphasize more on your being at home, while the other doesn't.

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Another colloquial application for the construction I am there at home would be in course of giving a present tense narration of an anecdote: "So I'm there at home when this guy knocks on the door..."

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I am there at home is grammatically correct, but perhaps a bit awkward. As can be seen via ngrams it doesn't show up in enough books to register, while the phrases There I am at home and I am at home there do appear in print. The three phrases have similar meanings, except that There I am at home might also be used to set a scene, for example in sentences like There I am at home, everything just great, when Tom shows up.

I can imagine I am there at home being used for rhetorical effect in a context like Rome! I am there at home, where it sounds well, but doubt anyone would say Peoria! I am there at home, where it doesn't.

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  • The latter more usually ordered Peoria! I am at home there, short for I feel at home on the occasions when I am there.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Jan 7, 2013 at 17:01

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