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.

nivel

nee-VEL

NounmA2

level?height, position, or standard,standard?quality or requirement

Also:spirit level?carpenter's tool,floor / story?in a building (less common than 'piso')

📝 In Action

El nivel del agua está subiendo muy rápido.

The water level is rising very fast.

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

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

¡Por fin pasé al siguiente nivel del videojuego!

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

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

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

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

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

Word Connections

Synonyms

altura (height)
grado (degree)
estándar (standard)
rango (rank)

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.

💡 Grammar Points

Always Masculine: 'el nivel'

Even though it ends in '-l', 'nivel' is a masculine word. Always say 'el nivel' (the level) or 'un nivel' (a level).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Floors in a Building: 'Nivel' vs. 'Piso'

Mistake: "Vivo en el tercer nivel."

Correction: Vivo en el tercer piso. 'Piso' is the standard word for the floor or story of a building where people live or work. 'Nivel' is more for parking garages or general layers.

⭐ Usage Tips

From Concrete to Abstract

Think of 'nivel' as a point on a scale. This scale can be physical, like the height of water ('nivel del mar'), or abstract, like your skill in a language ('nivel de español').

✏️ 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

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'.