bajo
“bajo” means “short” in Spanish. It has 5 different meanings depending on context:
short, low
Also: quiet, downcast / low, low-end
📝 In Action
Mi hermano es más bajo que yo.
A1My brother is shorter than me.
El techo de la casa es muy bajo.
A1The ceiling of the house is very low.
Por favor, habla en voz baja, el bebé duerme.
A2Please, speak in a quiet voice, the baby is sleeping.
Tengo el ánimo bajo hoy.
B1I'm in low spirits today.
under, below
Also: under
📝 In Action
El gato duerme bajo la cama.
A2The cat sleeps under the bed.
La temperatura está bajo cero.
A2The temperature is below zero.
El documento está bajo llave.
B1The document is under lock and key.
Trabajo mejor bajo presión.
B2I work better under pressure.
quietly / softly
Also: low
📝 In Action
Habla más bajo, por favor.
A2Speak more quietly, please.
El helicóptero volaba muy bajo.
B1The helicopter was flying very low.
bass
Also: hem, lowlands
📝 In Action
Mi amigo toca el bajo en una banda de rock.
B1My friend plays the bass in a rock band.
Súbele al bajo, esta canción suena increíble.
B2Turn up the bass, this song sounds incredible.
Necesito coser el bajo de mis pantalones.
B2I need to sew the hem of my pants.
I go down / I get off, I lower / I turn down
Also: I download
📝 In Action
Yo bajo en la próxima parada.
A2I get off at the next stop.
Si la música está alta, yo la bajo.
A2If the music is loud, I turn it down.
Bajo las fotos de la cámara a mi computadora.
B1I download the photos from the camera to my computer.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
🔀 Commonly Confused With
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: bajo
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence uses 'bajo' to mean 'under'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From Vulgar Latin '*bassus*', meaning 'thick, fat, low'. It replaced the Classical Latin word 'humilis' (humble, low). This root gives us words related to 'lowness' in many languages.
First recorded: Around the 10th century.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'bajo' and 'debajo de'?
They both mean 'under' or 'below' and are often interchangeable. The main difference is grammatical: 'debajo' almost always needs 'de' after it ('debajo de la mesa'), while 'bajo' never uses 'de' ('bajo la mesa'). 'Bajo' can also be used for more abstract ideas, like 'bajo control' (under control).
How do I say 'loudly' if 'bajo' means 'quietly'?
The opposite of the adverb 'bajo' (quietly) is 'alto' (loudly). For example, 'No hables tan alto' (Don't speak so loudly). You can also use 'fuerte'.
I saw 'baja' used as a noun. What does that mean?
Yes, 'la baja' is a feminine noun with a few meanings. It can mean a casualty or loss ('el equipo sufrió una baja importante'), being on sick leave ('estar de baja'), or a drop/decrease ('una baja en los precios').