When we talk about a person's height in Spanish, we use the adjective bajo for masculine nouns and baja for feminine nouns. It means 'short' or 'of little height'.
You might use it to describe a person, like "Ella es baja" (She is short). It can also be used to describe things, but remember to match the gender. For example, "La mesa es baja" (The table is low). Pay attention to the gender of the noun you are describing to use baja or bajo correctly.
When talking about a woman or a feminine noun, we use baja to describe something as short or of little height. For example, a short girl would be una niña baja. It can also refer to a low intensity or level, such as temperatura baja (low temperature).
Remember that Spanish adjectives change to match the gender and number of the noun they describe. So, for a masculine noun, you would use bajo.
How Formal Is It?
"La mujer es de baja estatura. (The woman is of short height.)"
"Ella es baja. (She is short.)"
"Mi amiga es chaparra. (My friend is short.)"
"La niña es pequeñita. (The girl is tiny/very small.)"
"¡No seas enana! (Don't be a midget/dwarf! - Can be offensive depending on context)"
Exemplos por nível
Mi hermana es baja.
My sister is short.
Feminine singular adjective matching 'hermana'.
La mesa es baja.
The table is low/short.
Feminine singular adjective matching 'mesa'.
Ella tiene el pelo largo y es baja.
She has long hair and is short.
Feminine singular adjective describing 'ella'.
La silla es muy baja para mí.
The chair is very short/low for me.
Feminine singular adjective matching 'silla'.
No me gusta esta planta; es muy baja.
I don't like this plant; it is very short.
Feminine singular adjective matching 'planta'.
La puerta es baja aquí.
The door is low here.
Feminine singular adjective matching 'puerta'.
¿Tu amiga es alta o baja?
Is your friend tall or short?
Feminine singular adjective for 'amiga'.
La pared es baja en este lado.
The wall is low on this side.
Feminine singular adjective matching 'pared'.
Frequentemente confundido com
Refers to length, not height. Use for things like short hair, a short story, a short walk.
Refers to general smallness or size, not specifically height. A small car, a small house, a small animal.
Can mean small, young, or little. Often used informally. Can refer to size but 'bajo/a' is more precise for height.
Padrões gramaticais
Fácil de confundir
Many English speakers confuse 'baja' with other words for 'short' like 'corto' or 'pequeño.' 'Baja' specifically refers to height, usually for people or objects that are vertically short.
'Baja' is for height. 'Corto' is for length (e.g., short hair, short story). 'Pequeño' means small in general size.
Mi hermana es muy baja. (My sister is very short.)
This is the masculine form of 'baja' and is often confused for the same reasons. Learners might use it for length or general smallness.
Like 'baja,' 'bajo' is for height (masculine). 'Corto' for length, 'pequeño' for general smallness.
El edificio es bajo. (The building is short/low.)
Often mistakenly used when referring to a person's height, where 'bajo/a' would be correct.
'Corto' refers to length, not height. Think of it like a short piece of string or a short film.
Ella tiene el pelo corto. (She has short hair.)
This word means 'small' and is sometimes used interchangeably with 'bajo/a' or 'corto' when it's not appropriate for the specific context of height or length.
'Pequeño' means small in general size. You can be a small person ('persona pequeña') without necessarily being short in height ('baja').
Tenemos un coche pequeño. (We have a small car.)
Can mean 'small' or 'young' and is often confused with 'pequeño' or even 'bajo/a'. It has more nuance and can be informal.
'Chico/a' can mean small, but often implies young or little. It's more informal than 'pequeño'. While a 'chico' might be small in stature, 'bajo' is more direct for height.
Es un chico muy chico para su edad. (He's a very small boy for his age.)
Padrões de frases
Ella es [baja].
Ella es [baja]. (She is short.)
Mi amiga es [baja].
Mi amiga es [baja]. (My friend is short.)
La mesa es [baja] para mí.
La mesa es [baja] para mí. (The table is low for me.)
Prefiero las plantas [bajas].
Prefiero las plantas [bajas]. (I prefer short plants.)
Su voz es [baja] cuando está triste.
Su voz es [baja] cuando está triste. (Her voice is low when she's sad.)
A pesar de ser [baja], es una gran jugadora.
A pesar de ser [baja], es una gran jugadora. (Despite being short, she is a great player.)
La probabilidad de lluvia es [baja] hoy.
La probabilidad de lluvia es [baja] hoy. (The probability of rain is low today.)
Mantuvo un perfil [bajo] durante la controversia.
Mantuvo un perfil [bajo] durante la controversia. (She kept a low profile during the controversy.)
Como usar
When talking about a woman or a feminine noun, use baja to describe something as short or low in height. For example, La mesa es muy baja. (The table is very low.) or Mi hermana es baja. (My sister is short.)
A common mistake is using corto instead of baja for height. Remember, corto/corta usually refers to length (e.g., El pelo es corto. - The hair is short.) while bajo/baja refers to height. Also, don't forget to match the gender: baja for feminine nouns, bajo for masculine nouns.
Memorize
Mnemônico
Think of someone who is 'BA-JA'st (lowest) in height. Or imagine someone saying 'BAH!' because they are so short they can't reach something.
Associação visual
Picture a very short woman. Perhaps she is trying to reach something on a high shelf and has to stand on her tiptoes. Focus on the visual of her being 'baja' (short) compared to the shelf.
Word Web
Desafio
Describe a short female friend or family member using 'baja'. For example: 'Mi abuela es baja y tiene el pelo blanco.' (My grandmother is short and has white hair.)
Perguntas frequentes
10 perguntas'Bajo' is the masculine form of the adjective, used for masculine nouns (e.g., 'el hombre bajo' - the short man). 'Baja' is the feminine form, used for feminine nouns (e.g., 'la mujer baja' - the short woman).
No, 'baja' specifically refers to height. For something short in length, you would typically use 'corto/corta' (e.g., 'una falda corta' - a short skirt).
Yes, 'baja' can also be a noun meaning 'a drop' or 'a low' (e.g., 'una baja de temperatura' - a drop in temperature). It can also be a form of the verb 'bajar' (to go down, to lower).
You can say 'muy baja' (very short) or 'bajita', which is a diminutive form often used affectionately or to emphasize a small size. For example, 'Ella es muy baja' (She is very short) or 'Mi hermana es bajita' (My sister is quite short/petite).
The opposite of 'baja' (short in height, feminine) is 'alta' (tall, feminine).
Yes, absolutely. For example, 'Mi amiga es baja' (My friend is short, assuming your friend is female).
It can be used for inanimate objects, but it still refers to height. For example, 'La mesa es baja' (The table is low/short).
The 'b' is like the 'b' in English. The 'a' sounds like the 'a' in 'father'. The 'j' sounds like the 'h' in 'hello'. So it's pronounced BAH-hah.
'De poca altura' literally means 'of little height' and is more formal or descriptive. 'Baja' is more direct and common in everyday conversation. Both are correct, but 'baja' is usually preferred for simplicity.
While 'baja' itself is quite direct, you might hear phrases like 'estar de baja' which means 'to be on leave' (from work, due to illness, etc.), but this uses 'baja' as a noun in a different context. When referring to height, it's usually used straightforwardly as an adjective.
Teste-se 36 perguntas
Mi hermana es muy ___. (My sister is very short.)
The word 'baja' means short and agrees in gender with 'hermana' (sister), which is feminine.
La mesa es ___. (The table is low.)
The word 'baja' means low and agrees in gender with 'mesa' (table), which is feminine.
Ella es más ___ que su hermano. (She is shorter than her brother.)
The word 'baja' means short and agrees in gender with 'ella' (she), which is feminine.
Necesito una silla más ___. (I need a lower chair.)
The word 'baja' means lower and agrees in gender with 'silla' (chair), which is feminine.
La puerta es muy ___. (The door is very short/low.)
The word 'baja' means short or low and agrees in gender with 'puerta' (door), which is feminine.
Mi abuela es un poco ___. (My grandmother is a little short.)
The word 'baja' means short and agrees in gender with 'abuela' (grandmother), which is feminine.
The girl is short.
My sister is not tall, she is short.
She is a short woman.
Read this aloud:
La mesa es baja.
Focus: baja (bah-hah)
Você disse:
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Read this aloud:
Ella es baja.
Focus: baja
Você disse:
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Read this aloud:
¿Es ella baja?
Focus: baja
Você disse:
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Which word describes a woman of short height?
The word 'baja' specifically means short or of little height for a feminine noun.
My sister is short. Which Spanish word completes the sentence: 'Mi hermana es ___.'?
Since 'hermana' (sister) is feminine and singular, we use the feminine singular form 'baja'.
Which of these people would you describe as 'baja'?
'Baja' is used for feminine nouns, meaning short or small in height. 'Una mujer pequeña' (a small woman) fits this description.
You can use 'baja' to describe a tall man.
'Baja' is the feminine form. For a man, you would use 'bajo'.
If a girl is not tall, you can say 'Ella es baja'.
'Baja' means short or of little height, and 'ella' (she) is feminine, so this is correct.
The word 'baja' can be used to describe the height of a building.
While 'baja' can mean low, when referring to height, it typically describes people or animals. For a building, you might say 'edificio bajo' (low building), but 'baja' specifically refers to feminine subjects.
Listen for a description of a woman's height and intelligence.
Listen for a description of a table and its suitability.
Listen for what kind of chair is needed for comfort.
Read this aloud:
Mi hermana es bastante baja para su edad, pero es muy rápida.
Focus: baja
Você disse:
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Read this aloud:
La puerta es tan baja que tengo que agacharme para pasar.
Focus: baja, agacharme
Você disse:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Ella es baja, pero tiene una personalidad gigante.
Focus: baja, gigante
Você disse:
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This sentence means 'The temperature is low.' 'Baja' is used here to describe the temperature.
This sentence translates to 'María is a short woman.' 'Baja' describes María's height.
This phrase means 'He/She spoke in a low voice.' 'Baja' modifies 'voz' (voice).
This sentence describes a contrast: despite the architect being short, her vision was grand. The word 'baja' modifies 'estatura' (stature).
This sentence emphasizes the low height of the hill using 'tan baja que' (so short that).
This sentence highlights a contrast between physical height ('baja estatura') and the strength of personality. 'Baja' modifies 'estatura'.
/ 36 correct
Perfect score!
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