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How to Say "downstairs" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “downstairs” is “abajo” — use 'abajo' when you want to indicate movement towards or a location on a lower floor, similar to how 'downstairs' is used as an adverb in English..

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abajo

/ah-BAH-hoh//aˈβaxo/

adverbA1general
Use 'abajo' when you want to indicate movement towards or a location on a lower floor, similar to how 'downstairs' is used as an adverb in English.
A child standing on the peak of a grassy hill, gazing downwards towards a small red house nestled far below in the valley.

Examples

Mi hermano está abajo, en la sala.

My brother is downstairs, in the living room.

El gato está abajo.

The cat is downstairs.

Mira hacia abajo y verás las flores.

Look down and you'll see the flowers.

Vivimos en el piso de abajo.

We live on the floor below.

Abajo vs. Debajo de

Think of 'abajo' as the general idea of 'down' or 'downstairs'. Use 'debajo de' when you mean 'under' a specific object. For example, 'El perro está abajo' (The dog is downstairs), but 'El perro está debajo de la mesa' (The dog is under the table).

Confusing 'Abajo' with 'Bajo'

Mistake: “El libro está abajo la mesa.”

Correction: Say 'El libro está bajo la mesa' or '...debajo de la mesa.' 'Bajo' and 'debajo de' act like the English word 'under' and need to be followed by the thing you are under. 'Abajo' usually stands on its own.

bajos

/BAH-hos//ˈbaxos/

nounA2general
Use 'los bajos' to refer to the lower level or ground floor of a building, often where businesses or apartments are located.
A colorful storybook illustration of a simple two-story house with a prominent entrance door located clearly on the ground floor level.

Examples

La panadería está en los bajos del edificio.

The bakery is on the ground floor of the building.

Hay un restaurante excelente en los bajos de mi oficina.

There is an excellent restaurant on the ground floor of my office.

Vivimos en los bajos, así que no necesitamos ascensor.

We live downstairs (on the ground floor), so we don't need an elevator.

Using the definite article

When referring to the ground floor, you almost always use the definite article 'los': 'en los bajos' (on the ground floor).

Adverb vs. Noun Usage

The most common mistake is using 'abajo' when you intend to refer to a specific place like 'the ground floor' (los bajos). Remember, 'abajo' is typically an adverb indicating direction or location, while 'los bajos' is a noun referring to a specific part of a building.

Related Translations

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