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altos

/AL-tohs/

tall

A simple, very tall blue skyscraper towering over a small, red single-story house.

When describing structures, 'altos' means tall.

altos(adjective)

mA1

tall

?

describing people or structures

,

high

?

describing elevation or position

Also:

loud

?

describing sound/volume

,

upper

?

as in, upper levels

📝 In Action

Mis hermanos son muy altos, miden casi dos metros.

A1

My brothers are very tall; they measure almost two meters.

Los árboles de este parque son los más altos de la ciudad.

A2

The trees in this park are the highest (tallest) in the city.

El volumen de la música estaba demasiado alto. (Note: 'alto' acts as an adverb here, but the core meaning is the same.)

B1

The volume of the music was too loud.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • bajos (short, low)
  • pequeños (small)

Common Collocations

  • precios altos – high prices
  • edificios altos – tall buildings

💡 Grammar Points

Adjective Agreement

Since 'altos' ends in '-os,' it must be used with masculine nouns that are plural (more than one). For example, 'los chicos altos' (the tall boys).

The Base Form

The base form of this word is 'alto' (singular, masculine). Remember to change the ending when describing feminine things ('altas') or a single person ('alto').

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using the Singular Form

Mistake: "Los árboles es alto."

Correction: Los árboles son altos. (Since you are talking about multiple trees, the adjective must also be plural.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Height vs. Price

'Altos' works for both physical height (people, mountains) and abstract height (prices, expectations, volume). Context will make the meaning clear!

The exterior view of a simple four-story apartment building, focusing on the distinct upper two floors.

As a noun, 'altos' refers to the upper floors of a building.

altos(noun)

mB1

upper floors

?

of a building

,

heights

?

geographic or abstract

Also:

stops

?

rare, related to the verb 'parar'

📝 In Action

Mis tíos viven en los altos de la casa de mi abuela.

B1

My aunt and uncle live in the upper floors (or upstairs apartment) of my grandmother's house.

Desde estos altos se puede ver toda la ciudad.

B2

From these heights, you can see the whole city.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • pisos superiores (upper floors)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • los altos del edificio – the upper floors of the building

💡 Grammar Points

Always Plural

When used as a noun meaning 'upper floors' or 'heights,' it almost always stays in the plural form, 'los altos.'

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: altos

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'altos' to describe the price of goods?

📚 More Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if 'altos' means 'tall' or 'high'?

If you are describing a person, it almost always means 'tall.' If you are describing an abstract concept (like a price or a sound), it means 'high' or 'loud.' Context is key!

Is 'altos' ever used as a command?

No, not 'altos.' The command form for 'stop' is '¡Alto!' (singular, used as an interjection/command), or sometimes '¡Paren!' (the verb 'to stop').