How to Say "high" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “high” is “alto” — use 'alto' when referring to physical height, like a person's stature, or the vertical dimension of an object, like a shelf or a mountain.
alto
al-tohˈalto
Examples
Mi hermano es muy alto.
My brother is very tall.
La montaña es muy alta.
The mountain is very high.
Puso el libro en el estante más alto.
She put the book on the highest shelf.
Matching the Noun
Like most describing words in Spanish, 'alto' changes to match the person or thing it describes. Use 'alto' for masculine things ('el edificio alto') and 'alta' for feminine things ('la chica alta').
Ser vs. Estar with 'alto'
Use 'ser' for permanent height ('Él es alto' - He is a tall person). Use 'estar' for temporary or relative height ('La marea está alta' - The tide is high right now).
Tall vs. Long
Mistake: “El río es muy alto.”
Correction: El río es muy largo. Use 'alto' for vertical height (up and down) and 'largo' for horizontal length (side to side).
elevado
eh-leh-BAH-doheleˈβaðo
Examples
El precio de la gasolina es muy elevado este mes.
The price of gasoline is very high this month.
Construyeron la casa en un terreno elevado para ver el mar.
They built the house on elevated ground to see the sea.
El corredor mantuvo un ritmo elevado durante toda la carrera.
The runner maintained a high pace throughout the whole race.
Gender and Number
This word must match the thing it describes. Use 'elevado' for masculine singular items (el precio), 'elevada' for feminine (la tasa), and add an 's' for plurals (los precios elevados).
Positioning
When you put 'elevado' after the noun, you are simply stating a fact about its level or height.
High in Height vs. High in Value
Mistake: “Using 'elevado' for a tall person.”
Correction: Use 'alto' for people's height. Use 'elevado' for things like prices, speeds, or positions in space.
crecido
kreh-SEE-dohkɾeˈsiðo
Examples
Tengan cuidado, el río está muy crecido y es peligroso cruzarlo.
Be careful, the river is very swollen/high and it's dangerous to cross it.
Después del deshielo, el arroyo siempre viene crecido.
After the thaw, the stream always comes high/swollen.
Always used with 'Estar'
When referring to water levels, 'crecido' describes the temporary, current state of the river or stream, so it always pairs with 'estar' (to be).
drogado
droh-GAH-dohdroˈɣaðo
Examples
El sospechoso estaba tan drogado que no podía responder preguntas.
The suspect was so drugged that he couldn't answer questions.
Parece que has estado despierto toda la noche, o estás drogado.
It looks like you've been up all night, or you're high.
Gender and Number Agreement
As an adjective, 'drogado' must change its ending to match the person or thing it describes: 'drogada' (feminine singular), 'drogados' (masculine plural), 'drogadas' (feminine plural).
subido
soo-BEE-dohsuˈβiðo
Examples
El diseñador usó un color verde subido para el fondo.
The designer used an intense green color for the background.
Los precios de la vivienda han estado muy subidos este año.
Housing prices have been very high this year.
Adjective Agreement
Like most Spanish adjectives, 'subido' must match the noun it describes in gender (subida) and number (subidos/subidas).
euforia
eh-oo-FOH-ryahewˈfoɾja
Examples
Había un clima de euforia en la ciudad tras la victoria del equipo.
There was a mood of euphoria in the city after the team's victory.
La euforia del momento le impidió ver los riesgos.
The euphoria of the moment prevented him from seeing the risks.
Los mercados financieros experimentaron una breve euforia tras el anuncio.
Financial markets experienced a brief euphoria after the announcement.
Gender remains feminine
Even though it starts with a vowel sound, it uses 'la' (la euforia) because the stress is on the 'o', not the first 'a'.
Abstract Noun Usage
Like many feelings in Spanish, we often use the definite article 'la' when talking about it in general terms.
Using 'el' instead of 'la'
Mistake: “El euforia es peligrosa.”
Correction: La euforia es peligrosa. Because the 'eu' sound doesn't trigger the masculine article rule like 'el agua' does.
borrachera
bo-rrah-cheh-rahboraˈtʃeɾa
Examples
El equipo vivió una borrachera de goles en el segundo tiempo.
The team experienced a goal spree in the second half.
Tras el estreno, el director sintió una borrachera de éxito.
After the premiere, the director felt a high from the success.
Metaphorical use
This word functions just like 'drunk with power' in English, but it can apply to almost any noun following the word 'de'.
colocado
koh-loh-KAH-dohkoloˈkaðo
Examples
Ese chico parece un poco colocado.
That guy looks a bit high.
Context is Everything
Height vs. Elevated Levels
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