baja
“baja” means “low” in Spanish. It has 4 different meanings depending on context:
low
Also: short, downcast
📝 In Action
La mesa es muy baja para mí.
A1The table is too low for me.
Mi hermana es más baja que yo.
A1My sister is shorter than me.
Habla con la voz más baja, por favor.
A2Speak with a lower voice, please.
drop, decrease
Also: fall, downturn
📝 In Action
Hubo una baja repentina de las temperaturas.
B1There was a sudden drop in temperatures.
La empresa anunció una baja en los precios.
B1The company announced a decrease in prices.
El equipo sufrió una baja importante en su rendimiento.
B2The team suffered a significant drop in its performance.
leave
Also: casualty, withdrawal
📝 In Action
Mi colega está de baja por maternidad.
B2My colleague is on maternity leave.
El médico me dio la baja por una semana.
B2The doctor gave me sick leave for a week.
El ejército reportó cinco bajas en el combate.
C1The army reported five casualties in the combat.
he/she goes down, you go down
Also: go down!, it lowers
📝 In Action
Él baja las escaleras con cuidado.
A1He goes down the stairs carefully.
La temperatura baja por la noche.
A2The temperature goes down at night.
¡Baja de ahí ahora mismo!
A2Get down from there right now!
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: baja
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'baja' to mean 'sick leave'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'bassus,' which meant 'low,' 'short,' or 'thick.' Over time in Spanish, it kept its core meaning of 'low' and expanded to describe anything that goes down, from prices to people on leave from work.
First recorded: 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
💡 Master Spanish
Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'baja' and 'bajo'?
They are usually the feminine and masculine forms of the same adjective. Use 'baja' for feminine nouns (la mesa baja - the low table) and 'bajo' for masculine nouns (el precio bajo - the low price). 'Bajo' can also mean 'under' (bajo la mesa - under the table), but 'baja' cannot.
How do I say I'm canceling my phone plan?
The perfect phrase is 'Quiero dar de baja mi plan de teléfono.' The expression 'dar de baja' means to cancel or deactivate a service or subscription.