Debajo vs. Bajo

Question

I was wondering what is the main difference between debajo and bajo. I searched the answers section and found the post Abajo vs. Debajo, which was informative, but wasn't what I was looking for. After reading entries for both words on this website's dictionary I got the impression that debajo (de) is used to describe physical things more often than bajo. I'm still rather confused though. Could someone please tell me if I am understanding this correctly? Thanks for any help you can give.

Answer 1

debajo is usually the physical location 'under'. For example, La gata está debajo de la mesa or 'the cat is under the table'. If you were playing the piano to accompany a singer, the singer might say juegue dos tonos más bajo por favor or 'play two chords lower please'.

The verb bajar is the opposite of the verb subir and there is just about an infinite number of ways to use it.

Debajo is an adverb and preposition, but bajo is commonly used as a proposition, adverb, adjective and noun, which means it's one heck of a well used word

Thank you. I was quite confused with that one. - Jsanthara, May 10, 2010

Unrelated to this thread, but "to play" an instrument you should use "tocar," as in "Toque dos tonos más bajo," which would translate to "Play two steps lower, please." - Jota8326, May 18, 2012

Answer 2

bajo = low, debajo = underneath, abajo = down