Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
Under in Spanish: Debajo de, Bajo, and Abajo Explained
Debajo de · preposition · deh-BAH-hoh deh
Under in Spanish is most commonly debajo de when describing physical position — something located beneath something else. Bajo is a more formal or literary preposition that also covers figurative meanings like under pressure or under a government. Abajo is an adverb meaning below or downstairs and does not take a following noun.
Debajo de is deh-BAH-hoh deh — four syllables with stress on BAH. Bajo is BAH-hoh, two syllables. Abajo is ah-BAH-hoh, three syllables with stress on the second.
El gato está debajo de la mesa.
The cat is under the table.
Under in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for under, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| debajo de | under | deh-BAH-hoh deh | Default, widely understood |
| bajo | under | formal/literary or figurative contexts | |
| abajo | under | below / downstairs (adverb, no following noun) |
How Native Speakers Use Debajo de
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Physical position
Las llaves están debajo del sofá.
The keys are under the sofa.
Debajo de contracts with el to form debajo del. This is the go-to phrase for under in a spatial sense.
Figurative (bajo)
El país vivió bajo una dictadura durante décadas.
The country lived under a dictatorship for decades.
Bajo is preferred for figurative and abstract meanings: bajo presión (under pressure), bajo control (under control).
Adverb (abajo)
Tu hermano está abajo esperándote.
Your brother is downstairs waiting for you.
Abajo stands alone as an adverb. It does not need a noun after it — it simply means down there or downstairs.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Debajo de
Using abajo as a preposition
Incorrect: El perro duerme abajo la cama.
Correct: El perro duerme debajo de la cama.
Abajo is an adverb and cannot take a direct object. When you need to say under + noun, use debajo de. Abajo only works on its own: Está abajo (It's downstairs).
Forgetting de after debajo
Incorrect: La pelota rodó debajo el coche.
Correct: La pelota rodó debajo del coche.
Debajo always requires de before the noun. And because de + el contracts to del, the correct form here is debajo del coche.
Lock in Under Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
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See Debajo de used by native speakers
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Common Questions About Under in Spanish
- How do you say under in Spanish?
- The most common translation is debajo de, used for physical location (debajo de la cama — under the bed). For figurative senses, bajo is preferred (bajo presión — under pressure). Abajo means below or downstairs and is used as an adverb without a following noun.
- What is the difference between debajo de and bajo?
- Debajo de is the everyday preposition for spatial under — one thing physically beneath another. Bajo is more formal or literary for spatial meaning, and is the standard choice for abstract or figurative contexts like bajo investigación (under investigation) or bajo juramento (under oath).
- Can I use abajo and debajo de interchangeably?
- They are not interchangeable — each plays a different grammatical role. Abajo is an adverb and stands alone: Vive abajo (He lives downstairs). Debajo de is a compound preposition that requires a following noun: Vive debajo del puente (He lives under the bridge). Swapping one for the other creates a grammatical error.