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How to Say "high" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “high” is “alto” — use 'alto' when referring to physical height, such as the height of people, buildings, or objects, or for elevated locations like mountains or shelves..

English → Spanish

alto

/al-toh//ˈalto/

AdjectiveA1General
Use 'alto' when referring to physical height, such as the height of people, buildings, or objects, or for elevated locations like mountains or shelves.
A towering, extremely tall skyscraper reaching high into the clouds, standing next to a small, short house.

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).

drogado

droh-GAH-doh/droˈɣaðo/

AdjectiveB1General
Use 'drogado' to describe someone who is under the influence of drugs or other intoxicating substances.
A simple illustration of a person sitting down, looking dazed and confused, with soft, swirling, colorful lines floating gently around their head, symbolizing being under the influence of drugs.

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-doh/suˈβiðo/

AdjectiveB1General
Use 'subido' to describe something that is intense or elevated, specifically for prices, volumes, or strong colors.
A single, intensely vibrant crimson strawberry, highly saturated, isolated on a clean white background.

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).

crecido

kreh-SEE-doh/kɾeˈsiðo/

AdjectiveB1General
Use 'crecido' when referring to the elevated level of water in rivers or other bodies of water.
A wide river with visibly high, dark water levels that are close to spilling over the banks, showing the river is swollen.

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).

colocado

/koh-loh-KAH-doh//koloˈkaðo/

AdjectiveC1Informal
Use 'colocado' informally to describe someone who is currently experiencing the effects of having taken drugs.
A person sitting on a fluffy cloud in a bright purple sky with stars, looking very dazed and happy.

Examples

Ese chico parece un poco colocado.

That guy looks a bit high.

Context is Everything

Drug-Related Terms: 'Drogado' vs. 'Colocado'

Learners often confuse 'drogado' and 'colocado' when referring to being 'high' on drugs. 'Drogado' is a more general and widely understood term for being drugged or intoxicated, while 'colocado' is more informal and specific to the feeling of being high.

Related Translations

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