Inklingo

How to Say "short" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “short” is “corto” — use this word to describe the physical length of objects, like hair, a road, or a film, or the height of something non-human.

corto🔊A1

Use this word to describe the physical length of objects, like hair, a road, or a film, or the height of something non-human.

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bajo🔊A1

This is the most common word for describing a person's height, meaning 'short' in stature.

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pequeñoA1

While often meaning 'small', this can also refer to a person's height, especially a child, or the size of an object.

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bajito🔊A1

This is a diminutive form of 'bajo', often used affectionately or to emphasize that someone is quite short in height.

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breve🔊A1

Use this word when referring to the duration of time or a piece of writing that is concise and to the point.

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chico🔊A2

This word can describe something as short in duration or size, but it's less common and can sometimes overlap with 'pequeño'.

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mini🔊A1

This term is specifically used for clothing, like skirts or dresses, that are very short in length.

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English → Spanish

corto

KOR-tohˈkoɾto

adjectiveA1general
Use this word to describe the physical length of objects, like hair, a road, or a film, or the height of something non-human.
A bright yellow pencil that has been sharpened down until it is very small, representing short length.

Examples

El pelo de mi hermana es más corto que el mío.

My sister's hair is shorter than mine.

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.

bajo

BA-hoˈbaxo

adjectiveA1general
This is the most common word for describing a person's height, meaning 'short' in stature.
A tall adult person standing in a room with a ceiling that is clearly too low, illustrating the concept of low height or position.

Examples

Juan es más bajo que Pedro.

Juan is shorter than Pedro.

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)

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).

pequeño

adjectiveA1general
While often meaning 'small', this can also refer to a person's height, especially a child, or the size of an object.

Examples

Mi vecino es un niño muy pequeño.

My neighbor is a very short boy.

bajito

ba-HEE-tohbaˈxito

adjectiveA1colloquial
This is a diminutive form of 'bajo', often used affectionately or to emphasize that someone is quite short in height.
A small child standing next to a tall adult, reaching only to the adult's knee.

Examples

Mi abuelo era un hombre muy bajito.

My grandfather was a very short man.

Mi hermano pequeño es muy bajito.

My little brother is very short.

Prefiero sentarme en ese sofá bajito.

I prefer to sit on that low sofa.

El estante está un poco bajito para mí.

The shelf is a bit low for me.

The -ito ending

Adding '-ito' to the word 'bajo' (short) makes it sound friendlier or smaller. It is often used to be more polite when describing someone's height.

Matching the person

When you are describing a girl or a feminine object, change the 'o' to 'a' (bajita). If there is more than one, add an 's' (bajitos).

Short vs. Brief

Mistake: “Using 'corto' for a person's height.”

Correction: Say 'Soy bajito' instead of 'Soy corto'. 'Corto' is for length (like hair or a movie), while 'bajito' is for height.

breve

breh-vehˈbɾeβe

adjectiveA1general
Use this word when referring to the duration of time or a piece of writing that is concise and to the point.
A small brown rabbit quickly hops a very short distance across a green grassy path.

Examples

Necesitamos una reunión breve para discutir esto.

We need a brief meeting to discuss this.

Hagamos una pausa breve antes de continuar.

Let's take a brief pause before continuing.

Su discurso fue muy breve y directo.

His speech was very short and direct.

En breve, te explico el plan.

In short, I'll explain the plan to you. (Common phrase: 'en breve')

Agreement Rule

Unlike many adjectives, 'breve' doesn't change between masculine and feminine nouns (e.g., 'un momento breve' and 'una carta breve'). It only changes for plural: 'breves'.

Confusing Time vs. Physical Length

Mistake: “Usar 'breve' para describir la longitud física de un objeto (e.g., *La mesa es breve*).”

Correction: Use 'corto' for physical length (e.g., 'La mesa es corta') and reserve 'breve' mostly for time or abstract length (like a speech or summary).

chico

CHEE-koˈtʃiko

adjectiveA2general
This word can describe something as short in duration or size, but it's less common and can sometimes overlap with 'pequeño'.
A tiny, miniature red apple resting on a large wooden table, emphasizing its small size.

Examples

Fue un viaje chico, solo duró dos días.

It was a short trip, it only lasted two days.

Mi coche es muy chico, es fácil de aparcar.

My car is very small, it's easy to park.

Compré una camisa chica porque la grande no me quedaba.

I bought a small shirt because the large one didn't fit me.

Estos problemas son chicos comparados con los de antes.

These problems are small compared to the ones before.

Matching the Noun

When you use chico to describe something, its ending must match the noun. un coche chico (a small car), una casa chica (a small house), unos zapatos chicos (small shoes), unas mesas chicas (small tables).

Forgetting to Change the Ending

Mistake: “El vestido es chico y las faldas es chico también.”

Correction: Say 'El vestido es chico y las faldas son chicas también.' The describing word (`chico/chica`) must match the gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) of the thing it describes.

mini

mee-neeˈmini

adjectiveA1fashion
This term is specifically used for clothing, like skirts or dresses, that are very short in length.
A tiny toy car sitting next to a regular-sized apple to show its small scale.

Examples

Ella compró una falda mini roja.

She bought a red mini skirt.

Ella prefiere llevar una falda mini.

She prefers to wear a mini skirt.

Tengo un mini reproductor de música.

I have a mini music player.

One Form Fits All

This word doesn't change its ending. Whether you are describing a masculine or feminine thing, it is always 'mini'.

Height vs. Length vs. Duration

The most common mistake is using words for physical length (corto) when describing a person's height. Remember to use 'bajo' or 'pequeño' for people's stature, and 'corto' for objects or non-human things. 'Breve' is exclusively for time or conciseness.

Related Translations

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