alto
/al-toh/
tall
Alto (tall/high) describes the vertical dimension, like this towering skyscraper.
alto(Adjective)
tall
?Used for people, trees, buildings.
,high
?Used for mountains, shelves, prices.
upper
?e.g., the upper part of something
,senior / high-ranking
?e.g., a senior official
📝 In Action
Mi hermano es muy alto.
A1My brother is very tall.
La montaña es muy alta.
A1The mountain is very high.
Puso el libro en el estante más alto.
A2She put the book on the highest shelf.
El precio de la gasolina está muy alto.
B1The price of gasoline is very high.
💡 Grammar Points
Matching the Noun
Like most describing words in Spanish, 'alto' changes to match the person or thing it describes. Use 'alto' for masculine things ('el edificio alto') and 'alta' for feminine things ('la chica alta').
Ser vs. Estar with 'alto'
Use 'ser' for permanent height ('Él es alto' - He is a tall person). Use 'estar' for temporary or relative height ('La marea está alta' - The tide is high right now).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Tall vs. Long
Mistake: "El río es muy alto."
Correction: El río es muy largo. Use 'alto' for vertical height (up and down) and 'largo' for horizontal length (side to side).
⭐ Usage Tips
Beyond Physical Height
You can use 'alto' to talk about more than just physical things. It can describe prices, ranks, or levels, just like 'high' in English. For example, 'un alto cargo' (a high position).
When describing sound, alto means loud, as shown by the strength of the singer's voice.
📝 In Action
La música está muy alta.
A2The music is very loud.
Por favor, habla más alto, no te oigo.
A2Please, speak louder, I can't hear you.
Le gusta leer en voz alta.
B1He likes to read out loud.
💡 Grammar Points
A Describing Word Acting Like an Action-Modifier
In English, you'd say 'speak loudly,' using an adverb. In Spanish, you often use the adjective 'alto' instead: 'hablar alto.' It describes the how of the action. It usually stays 'alto' but can sometimes change to 'alta' if it's clearly describing a feminine thing, like 'la música está alta'.
Un alto (a stop/halt) refers to a pause or break, often taken during a journey.
alto(Noun)
stop
?A pause in a journey or activity.
,halt
?A complete cessation of movement.
height
?Less common, usually in phrases like 'lo alto de la montaña' (the top/height of the mountain).
📝 In Action
Hicimos un alto en el camino para comer.
B1We made a stop on the way to eat.
La policía le dio el alto al coche.
B2The police ordered the car to halt.
En la carretera, hay una señal de alto.
B1On the road, there is a stop sign.
⭐ Usage Tips
Making a Stop
The phrase 'hacer un alto' is a very natural way to say you're taking a break or pausing during a trip. It's a bit more formal than 'hacer una parada'.
As an interjection, ¡Alto! is a forceful command meaning 'Stop!' or 'Halt!', often used by authority figures.
📝 In Action
¡Alto! ¿Quién va?
B2Halt! Who goes there?
¡Alto ahí! No te muevas.
B1Stop right there! Don't move.
⭐ Usage Tips
A Word of Command
This is a strong, sudden command. You'll hear it in movies from police or soldiers. It's much more forceful than just saying 'para' (stop).
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: alto
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'alto' to mean 'loud'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'alto' and 'grande'?
Great question! 'Alto' specifically refers to vertical height (how tall something is from bottom to top). 'Grande' refers to overall size (big). A person can be 'alto' (tall) but not 'grande' (if they are thin). A box can be 'grande' (big) but not 'alto' (if it's wide but short).
Why do people say 'hablar alto' instead of 'hablar altomente'?
It's a quirk of Spanish. While you might expect a word ending in '-mente' (like '-ly' in English), for certain common actions like speaking, it's more natural to use the adjective form. 'Hablar alto' (speak loud) and 'hablar bajo' (speak quiet) are the standard ways to say it.