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nivel

nee-VEL/niˈβel/

“nivel” means “level” in Spanish (height, position, or standard).

level, standard

Also: spirit level, floor / story
NounmA2
A simple green and yellow spirit level tool resting horizontally on a flat wooden plank, showing the air bubble perfectly centered between the two indicator lines, signifying a perfect level.

📝 In Action

El nivel del agua está subiendo muy rápido.

A2

The water level is rising very fast.

Para este trabajo, necesitas un nivel de inglés muy alto.

A2

For this job, you need a very high level of English.

¡Por fin pasé al siguiente nivel del videojuego!

B1

I finally passed to the next level of the video game!

El gobierno quiere mejorar el nivel de vida de los ciudadanos.

B1

The government wants to improve the citizens' standard of living.

Usa el nivel para asegurarte de que el cuadro esté recto.

B2

Use the spirit level to make sure the painting is straight.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • a nivel de – at the level of
  • alto/bajo nivel – high/low level
  • nivel de vida – standard of living
  • nivel del mar – sea level
  • paso de nivel – level crossing (for trains)

Idioms & Expressions

  • estar al mismo nivel – To be on equal footing or on the same page.

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "nivel" in Spanish:

level→spirit level→standard→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: nivel

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'nivel' to talk about a standard or quality?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
nivelar(to level, to make even) — Verb
desnivel(unevenness, slope) — Noun
nivelación(leveling) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Old French word 'livel', which itself came from the Latin word 'libella'. 'Libella' was a small version of 'libra', meaning 'balance' or 'scale'. This is why 'nivel' is so connected to measurement and balance!

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: levelFrench: niveauItalian: livello

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'nivel' and 'piso' for floors in a building?

'Piso' is much more common for floors you live or work on (e.g., 'vivo en el tercer piso'). 'Nivel' is often used for levels in a structure more generally, like a parking garage ('el nivel -2'). When in doubt for an apartment or office, use 'piso'.

Is 'nivel' ever a verb in Spanish, like 'to level'?

No, 'nivel' itself is always a noun (a thing). The verb you're looking for is 'nivelar', which means 'to level' or 'to make even'.