Inklingo

How to Say "up" in Spanish

English → Spanish

arriba

/ah-RREE-bah//aˈriβa/

AdverbA1General
Use 'arriba' when indicating a general direction or location that is higher than the current position.
A small red box floating high in the air above a vast, flat green field, illustrating the concept of 'up' or 'above'.

Examples

Mira hacia arriba, ¡un avión!

Look up, an airplane!

Mis abuelos viven en el piso de arriba.

My grandparents live on the floor above / upstairs.

Por favor, pon la caja arriba en el armario.

Please, put the box up on the wardrobe.

Arriba vs. Encima de

'Arriba' means 'up' in a general direction (Mira arriba - Look up). 'Encima de' means 'on top of' a specific thing (El libro está encima de la mesa - The book is on top of the table).

A vs. Hacia

You can say 'hacia arriba' (towards up) or 'para arriba' (for up) to emphasize the direction of movement. They are often interchangeable.

Location vs. Action

Mistake: “Yo arriba las escaleras.”

Correction: Yo subo las escaleras. 'Arriba' tells you WHERE something is (a location), while 'subir' is the ACTION of going up.

levantado

leh-vahn-TAH-doh/le.βanˈta.ðo/

AdjectiveA1General
Use 'levantado' to describe the state of being out of bed and awake.
A smiling cartoon child wearing pajamas standing fully upright next to their empty bed, indicating they are out of bed.

Examples

¿Ya estás levantado? Son las diez.

Are you up yet? It's ten o'clock.

Mi abuela siempre está levantada a las seis de la mañana.

My grandmother is always up at six in the morning.

The Reflexive Connection

This meaning comes from the verb 'levantarse' (to get oneself up). When you say 'estoy levantado,' you are describing the state that results from the action of getting up.

se

/seh//se/

PronounB2General
Use the reflexive pronoun 'se' with certain verbs to indicate the completion or totality of an action, similar to 'eat up' or 'drink up'.
A person happily eating a large slice of pizza, with an empty pizza box nearby, to show the action was completed fully.

Examples

Mi hermano comió la pizza.

My brother ate the pizza.

Mi hermano se comió toda la pizza.

My brother ate up the whole pizza.

Bebió un vaso de agua.

He drank a glass of water.

Adding Extra Flavor

This 'se' doesn't always have a direct translation. It just makes the action feel more complete or personal. It shows the person really got involved in the action.

Overusing It

Mistake: “Se caminó al parque.”

Correction: Caminó al parque. (He walked to the park.) This emphatic 'se' only works with certain verbs, usually ones involving consuming something (like eating, drinking, reading, learning).

Confusing Direction with Completion

Learners often incorrectly use 'arriba' when they mean to express the completion of an action, like 'eat up'. Remember, 'arriba' is for physical direction, while reflexive verbs with 'se' indicate finishing something entirely.

Related Translations

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