una persona es baja
/una peɾsona es baxa/from spelling rules
The English phrase "a person is short" is translated into Spanish as una persona es baja.
This phrase is used to describe a person who has a small height compared to others. While una persona es baja refers specifically to physical height, the word flaca would be used to describe a person as thin.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Slang terms for shortness vary by location: Es chaparro/chaparra is a popular slang term used to describe someone who is short in some Latin American countries, particularly Mexico, while Es petiso/petisa is a common slang term used in Argentina. In Spain, the informal expression Es chiquito/chiquita is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase una persona es baja, the adjective must be the feminine form baja because persona is a feminine noun, even if the person being described is male.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often use pequeña (small) to describe a person's height, but in Spanish, pequeña usually refers to size or age, while baja is the standard for height.
Did you know?
- While baja describes height, the word bajo also means 'quiet' or 'low' when referring to the volume of a voice.
- Spanish uses the same root bajo to describe the 'bass' range in music, referring to the lowest pitch.
- The adjective baja is actually a deverbal form, meaning it is derived from the verb bajar, which means 'to lower' or 'to go down'.
Examples in context
- Mi amiga María es bajita y encantadora.My friend Maria is short and charming.
- No te preocupes si una persona es baja.Don't worry if a person is short.
Example conversation
Maria and Mateo are talking about a new classmate.
- MaríaEl chico nuevo es muy pequeño.The new boy is very small.
- MateoSí, es verdad que una persona es baja.Yes, it is true that a person is short.
- María¿Crees que puede jugar baloncesto?Do you think he can play basketball?
- MateoClaro, el talento es lo más importante.Of course, talent is the most important thing.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries baja, es, persona, una, CC BY-SA 4.0.
