Inklingo
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abajo

ah-BAH-hohaˈβaxo

down, below

Also: downstairs
A child standing on the peak of a grassy hill, gazing downwards towards a small red house nestled far below in the valley.

📝 In Action

El gato está abajo.

A1

The cat is downstairs.

Mira hacia abajo y verás las flores.

A1

Look down and you'll see the flowers.

Vivimos en el piso de abajo.

A2

We live on the floor below.

La pelota rodó cuesta abajo.

B1

The ball rolled downhill.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • hacia abajo – downwards
  • calle abajo – down the street
  • cuesta abajo – downhill
  • de arriba abajo – from top to bottom

Idioms & Expressions

  • venirse abajo – to collapse emotionally or physically; for a plan or building to fall apart

Down with...!

InterjectionB2formal
A line of small, determined figures forcefully pushing a large, imposing gray rectangular block, causing the block to visibly fall down and collapse.

📝 In Action

¡Abajo la dictadura!

B2

Down with the dictatorship!

Los manifestantes gritaban: '¡Abajo el gobierno!'

C1

The protesters were shouting: 'Down with the government!'

Word Connections

Antonyms

🔀 Commonly Confused With

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "abajo" in Spanish:

below→down→down with...!→downstairs→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: abajo

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'abajo'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
bajar(to go down, to lower) — Verb
bajo(low, short) — Adjective
bajón(a dip, a low point, a downer) — Noun
bajeza(a vile or despicable act) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the combination of the Latin prefix 'ad-' (meaning 'to' or 'towards') and the Late Latin word 'bassus' (meaning 'low' or 'short'). It literally means 'towards the low part'.

First recorded: Around the 12th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: abaixoCatalan: abaixFrench: en bas

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the real difference between 'abajo', 'debajo de', and 'bajo'?

It's a common point of confusion! Here's a simple way to think about it: 'Abajo' is a general location or direction ('down there', 'downstairs'). 'Debajo de' and 'bajo' both mean 'under' a specific thing and need an object after them ('under the table'). 'Debajo de' is more common in everyday speech, while 'bajo' can sound a bit more formal or literary, but they are often interchangeable.

Can I say 'ir para abajo'?

Yes, absolutely! 'Ir para abajo' or simply 'ir abajo' both mean 'to go down'. Adding 'para' can sometimes emphasize the direction or destination. Both are very common and sound natural.