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abajo

/ah-BAH-hoh/

down

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

As an adverb, abajo means 'down' or 'below'. The image shows the house is located abajo (below) the other house.

abajo(Adverb)

A1

down

?

general direction or location

,

below

?

in a lower position

Also:

downstairs

?

on a lower floor of a building

📝 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

  • debajo (underneath)

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

💡 Grammar Points

Abajo vs. Debajo de

Think of 'abajo' as the general idea of 'down' or 'downstairs'. Use 'debajo de' when you mean 'under' a specific object. For example, 'El perro está abajo' (The dog is downstairs), but 'El perro está debajo de la mesa' (The dog is under the table).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Confusing 'Abajo' with 'Bajo'

Mistake: "El libro está abajo la mesa."

Correction: Say 'El libro está bajo la mesa' or '...debajo de la mesa.' 'Bajo' and 'debajo de' act like the English word 'under' and need to be followed by the thing you are under. 'Abajo' usually stands on its own.

⭐ Usage Tips

A Stand-Alone Word

You can often use 'abajo' all by itself. If someone upstairs asks '¿Dónde estás?' (Where are you?), you can just shout back '¡Abajo!' (Downstairs!). It's a complete answer.

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

Used as an interjection, ¡Abajo...! means 'Down with...!' and is used to express strong protest or opposition against something symbolized by the falling gray block.

abajo(Interjection)

B2

Down with...!

?

expressing protest or opposition

📝 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

  • ¡Viva! (Long live...!)

⭐ Usage Tips

Context is Everything

This use of 'abajo' is very powerful and almost always political or social. You'll hear it in movies about revolutions or in news reports about protests. It's not for everyday conversation.

✏️ 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

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.