Inklingo

How to Say "short" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “short” is “corto” — use 'corto' to describe physical length or height, such as hair, a road, or a person's stature, when comparing it to something else..

corto🔊A1

Use 'corto' to describe physical length or height, such as hair, a road, or a person's stature, when comparing it to something else.

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bajo🔊A1

Use 'bajo' specifically when referring to a person's or object's height, indicating they are not tall.

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pequeñoA1

Use 'pequeño' to describe a person's height, especially when emphasizing their small size in general, or for objects that are not large.

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breve🔊A1

Use 'breve' for things that are short in duration or text, meaning concise or brief.

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chico🔊A2

Use 'chico' to describe something that is small in size or short in duration, often implying a lack of significance or a limited scope.

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mini🔊A1

Use 'mini' specifically when referring to the length of clothing, like skirts or dresses, indicating a very short style.

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English → Spanish

corto

KOR-toh/ˈkoɾto/

adjectiveA1general
Use 'corto' to describe physical length or height, such as hair, a road, or a person's stature, when comparing it to something else.
A bright yellow pencil that has been sharpened down until it is very small, representing short length.

Examples

El camino es más corto si vas por aquí.

The path is shorter if you go this way.

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-ho//ˈbaxo/

adjectiveA1general
Use 'bajo' specifically when referring to a person's or object's height, indicating they are not tall.
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

Mi vecino es bastante bajo para su edad.

My neighbor is quite short for his age.

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
Use 'pequeño' to describe a person's height, especially when emphasizing their small size in general, or for objects that are not large.

Examples

El niño es pequeño, pero muy fuerte.

The boy is short, but very strong.

breve

/breh-veh//ˈbɾeβe/

adjectiveA1general
Use 'breve' for things that are short in duration or text, meaning concise or brief.
A small brown rabbit quickly hops a very short distance across a green grassy path.

Examples

Necesito una respuesta breve a mi pregunta.

I need a short answer to my question.

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-ko//ˈtʃiko/

adjectiveA2general
Use 'chico' to describe something that is small in size or short in duration, often implying a lack of significance or a limited scope.
A tiny, miniature red apple resting on a large wooden table, emphasizing its small size.

Examples

Fue una visita muy chico, solo duró diez minutos.

It was a very short visit, it only lasted ten minutes.

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-nee//ˈmini/

adjectiveA1informal
Use 'mini' specifically when referring to the length of clothing, like skirts or dresses, indicating a very short style.
A tiny toy car sitting next to a regular-sized apple to show its small scale.

Examples

Le gusta llevar faldas mini en verano.

She likes to wear mini skirts in the summer.

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

Learners often confuse 'corto', 'bajo', and 'pequeño'. Remember that 'corto' is for general length (like hair or a rope), while 'bajo' and 'pequeño' are specifically for height (people/objects). 'Breve' is for time or text, not physical size.

Related Translations

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