subir
/suˈbiɾ/
To go upstairs in Spanish is to subir.
The phrase is used to describe moving from a lower floor to a higher floor in a building.
What does it mean word for word?
The verb subir literally means 'to go up', 'to climb' or 'to ascend'.
Which one should you use?
Sube arriba is a colloquial way to say 'go upstairs', and Ve para arriba is an informal way to express the same idea. In contrast, the opposite of subir is bajar, which means 'to go down' or 'to go downstairs'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb subir changes according to tense and person. For example, subió is the past tense third-person singular (he/she/it went up) and subiremos is the future tense first-person plural (we will go up).
How do you pronounce it?
/suˈbiɾ/
Did you know?
- The verb subir is the standard term for uploading a file to the internet, imagining the cloud as a higher location.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, you must subir to reach the 'first floor' because the street level is considered the ground floor.
- The word subir evolved from the Latin word subīre, which originally meant 'approach'.
Examples in context
- Si se rompe el ascensor hay que subir a pie.If the elevator is broken, you must go upstairs on foot.This sentence shows how to use subir when discussing how to go up if an elevator is not working.Tatoeba #5721190 by arh, translation #10274075 by LimeGreenTeknii
- Cuando llegue, suba las escaleras y espéremeWhen you arrive, go upstairs and wait for me
- Oye, ¿puedes subir arriba y agarrar mi mochila?Hey, can you go upstairs and grab my backpack?
- Debemos subir por las escaleras.We must go upstairs via the stairs.
- ¿Quieres subir al segundo piso?Do you want to go upstairs to the second floor?
Example conversation
Sofía and Alejandro are in a hotel lobby.
- SofíaLas maletas son muy pesadas para subir.The suitcases are too heavy to go upstairs.
- AlejandroNo te preocupes, yo te ayudo a subir.Don't worry, I will help you go up.
- SofíaGracias, Alejandro, eres muy amable.Thank you, Alejandro, you are very kind.
- AlejandroDe nada, vamos a subir ya.You're welcome, let's go upstairs now.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry subir, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries subir, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
