How to Say "low" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “low” is “bajo” — use 'bajo' as an adjective when referring to physical height, position, or a general level that is not high..
bajo
/BA-ho//ˈbaxo/
Examples
Mi hermano es más bajo que yo.
My brother is shorter than me.
El techo de la casa es muy bajo.
The ceiling of the house is very low.
Por favor, habla en voz baja, el bebé duerme.
Please, speak in a quiet voice, the baby is sleeping.
Habla más bajo, por favor.
Speak more quietly, please.
Making it Match
As an adjective, 'bajo' changes to match the person or thing it describes. Use 'baja' for feminine things, 'bajos' for plural masculine, and 'bajas' for plural feminine. (e.g., la mesa baja, los techos bajos, las sillas bajas)
Describes the Action
When used this way, 'bajo' describes how an action happens. Because it's describing the verb, not a noun, it doesn't change its ending. It's always 'bajo'.
Height vs. Length
Mistake: “El lápiz es bajo.”
Correction: El lápiz es corto. Use 'bajo' for height (like a person or a building) and 'corto' for length (like a pencil or a story).
bajo
/BA-ho//ˈbaxo/
Examples
Habla más bajo, por favor.
Speak more quietly, please.
Mi hermano es más bajo que yo.
My brother is shorter than me.
El techo de la casa es muy bajo.
The ceiling of the house is very low.
Por favor, habla en voz baja, el bebé duerme.
Please, speak in a quiet voice, the baby is sleeping.
Making it Match
As an adjective, 'bajo' changes to match the person or thing it describes. Use 'baja' for feminine things, 'bajos' for plural masculine, and 'bajas' for plural feminine. (e.g., la mesa baja, los techos bajos, las sillas bajas)
Describes the Action
When used this way, 'bajo' describes how an action happens. Because it's describing the verb, not a noun, it doesn't change its ending. It's always 'bajo'.
Height vs. Length
Mistake: “El lápiz es bajo.”
Correction: El lápiz es corto. Use 'bajo' for height (like a person or a building) and 'corto' for length (like a pencil or a story).
corto
KOR-toh/ˈkoɾto/
Examples
Mi pelo es más corto que el tuyo.
My hair is shorter than yours.
La reunión fue muy corta, solo duró diez minutos.
The meeting was very brief; it only lasted ten minutes.
Necesito un cable más corto para conectar la televisión.
I need a shorter cable to connect the television.
Adjective Agreement
Remember that 'corto' must match the thing it describes in both gender (o/a) and number (singular/plural). Examples: 'el libro corto' (masculine singular), 'las faldas cortas' (feminine plural).
Confusing Length and Size
Mistake: “Usando 'corto' para decir 'small' (e.g., 'el carro corto').”
Correction: Use 'pequeño' (small) for general size. Use 'corto' only for measurement of length or time.
hondo
/OHN-doh//ˈondo/
Examples
El río es muy hondo en esta parte.
The river is very deep in this part.
Necesito un plato hondo para la sopa.
I need a deep bowl for the soup.
Describing Feminine Things
When describing a feminine word, change the 'o' to an 'a': 'la piscina honda'.
Hondo vs. Fondo
Mistake: “El fondo de la piscina es muy hondo.”
Correction: Use 'hondo' to describe how deep something is, and 'fondo' to talk about the physical bottom part itself.
profundo
pro-FÚN-da/pɾoˈfunda/
Examples
La cueva era muy profunda y oscura.
The cave was very deep and dark.
Necesitamos una olla más profunda para hacer la sopa.
We need a deeper pot to make the soup.
Agreement is Key
Since 'profunda' ends in '-a', it is the feminine form. Always use this form when describing a feminine noun (like 'piscina' or 'cueva').
Confusing Gender
Mistake: “La mar profundo.”
Correction: La mar profunda. Remember to match the '-a' sound of the adjective to the noun you are describing.
Bajo vs. Corto for 'Short'
Related Translations
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