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"Bajo" is a form of "bajo", an adjective which is often translated as "short". "Abajo de" is a phrase which is often translated as "less than". Learn more about the difference between "abajo de" and "bajo" below.
abajo de(
ah
-
bah
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hoh
deh
)A phrase is a group of words commonly used together (e.g., once upon a time).
a. less than
Carmencita tendrá abajo de 12 años y ya habla tres idiomas.Carmencita is less than 12 and she already speaks three languages.
b. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
Este edificio no tendrá abajo de cien años.This building is at least a hundred years old.
Esta casa no andará abajo del millón de dólares.This house must cost at least a million dollars.
2. (colloquial) (used to indicate place) (Latin America)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
bajo(
bah
-
hoh
)An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., the big dog).
1. (not tall)
2. (reduced)
3. (inferior)
a. low
No quiero comprar nada que sea de baja calidad.I don't want to buy anything that is low quality.
4. (position)
a. ground
El departamento de papelería está en la planta baja.The stationery department is on the ground floor.
5. (phase)
a. late
La reforma protestante llegó a su clímax en la baja Edad Media.The Protestant Reformation reached its climax in the late Middle Ages.
6. (sound)
7. (territory)
a. low
El nombre de Holanda, o los Países Bajos, en inglés literalmente significa "país bajo".The Netherlands, or the Low Countries, in English literally means "low country."
A masculine noun is used with masculine articles and adjectives (e.g., el hombre guapo, el sol amarillo).
A preposition is a word that indicates the relationship between a noun and another word (e.g., He ran through the door.).
9. (underneath)
a. under
Bajo Castro, todas las salidas estaban bajo vigilancia.Under Castro, all exits were under surveillance.
An adverb is a word that describes a verb, an adjective, or other adverbs (e.g., to run quickly, very tired).
11. (in flight)
