Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say Down in Spanish: Abajo, Hacia Abajo & Bajar
Abajo · adverb · ah-BAH-hoh
Abajo means down in Spanish as an adverb of place. Hacia abajo specifies downward direction, and bajar covers going down, lowering, or descending.
ah-BAH-hoh (abajo) · bah-HAHR (bajar)
El gato saltó abajo de la mesa.
The cat jumped down from the table.
Down in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for down, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| abajo | down | ah-BAH-hoh | Default, widely understood |
| hacia abajo | down | directional — downward | |
| bajar | down | verb: to go down or lower |
How Native Speakers Use Abajo
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Position
La farmacia está abajo, en la planta baja.
The pharmacy is down below, on the ground floor.
Abajo by itself indicates a fixed lower location.
Direction of movement
El agua corre hacia abajo por la montaña.
The water runs down the mountain.
Hacia abajo emphasizes downward movement or flow.
Verb usage
Baja el volumen, por favor; está muy alto.
Turn the volume down, please; it is too loud.
Bajar is the verb meaning to go down, lower, or reduce.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Abajo
Using abajo as a verb
Incorrect: Abajo del coche ahora mismo.
Correct: Baja del coche ahora mismo.
Abajo is an adverb, not a verb. Use bajar: baja (tú) or baje (usted).
Confusing abajo with debajo
Incorrect: El perro está abajo de la cama.
Correct: El perro está debajo de la cama.
Debajo de means underneath. Abajo means down or downstairs in general.
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See Abajo used by native speakers
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Common Questions About Down in Spanish
- How do you say down in Spanish?
- For position use abajo. For direction use hacia abajo. For the action of going down, use bajar.
- What is the difference between abajo and debajo?
- Abajo means down/below in general. Debajo (de) means underneath a specific object — debajo de la mesa.
- How do you say sit down in Spanish?
- Sit down is siéntate (informal) or siéntese (formal), from sentarse. It does not use abajo.