inferior
/infeˈɾjoɾ/
The English phrase 'lower' (meaning more towards the bottom) can be translated into Spanish as inferior or de abajo (más).
Meaning: more towards the bottom (adj)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| inferior | /infeˈɾjoɾ/ |
| de abajo (más) | /de aˈbaxo ˈmas/ (word by word) |
When describing something that is physically located closer to the bottom or occupies a lower position in a hierarchy, use the provided Spanish forms. Note that if you mean 'lowering' in the sense of decreasing or reducing something, the formal verb disminuir is used. If you are using 'lower' as a verb to describe letting something descend by its own weight, such as a sail or a bucket, you might use bajar, arriar or lascar.
Which one should you use?
inferior is used to describe being lower in a physical or hierarchical sense and is a more formal or technical term. In contrast, de abajo (más) is a more colloquial way to express being lower.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the verb rebajar is frequently used to convey the concept of 'lowering' in various contexts. In Latin American countries, particularly Mexico, the colloquial term chafa is used to mean 'low-quality' or 'subpar' rather than describing a physical position.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/infeˈɾjoɾ/
Did you know?
- In Spain, the verb rebajar is often used to describe lowering prices during sales, which are called rebajas.
- The word abajo is actually a combination of two separate words: the preposition a, meaning 'to', and the adjective bajo, meaning 'low'.
- In Spanish, the word inferior is not just for position but is the standard anatomical term for the legs, called miembros inferiores.
Examples in context
- El codo es la articulación entre el brazo superior y el brazo inferior.The elbow is the joint between the upper arm and the lower arm.This sentence uses inferior to distinguish between the upper and lower parts of an arm.Tatoeba #1208122 by cueyayotl, translation #1205972 by dermberg
- La apropiación de mujeres comienza en los estadios inferiores de la cultura bárbara aparentemente con la aprehensión de cautivas. La razón originaria de la captura y apropiación de mujeres parece haber sido su utilidad como trofeos.The ownership of women begins in the lower barbarian stages of culture, apparently with the seizure of female captives. The original reason for the seizure and appropriation of women seems to have been their usefulness as trophies.This sentence uses inferior to describe lower stages of a culture.Tatoeba #1417199 by hayastan, translation #425482 by Scott
- Por favor, baje el volumen de la música.Please lower the volume of the music.
- La empresa decidió bajar los precios de sus productos.The company decided to lower its product prices.
- El avión comenzó a bajar después de alcanzar su altitud máxima.The plane started to descend after reaching its maximum altitude.
- La tasa de desempleo ha disminuido en un 10% este año.The unemployment rate has decreased by 10% this year.
- Es importante disminuir el consumo de azúcar para mantener una dieta saludable.It's important to lower sugar intake to maintain a healthy diet.
- Por favor, reduzca la velocidad.Please lower your speed.
- Reduzco el precio en un 20% para nuestros clientes leales.I lower the price by 20% for our loyal customers.
- ¡Baja el volumen, por favor!Lower the volume, please!
- El agua está muy caliente, ¡bájale al calentador!The water is too hot, turn down the heater!
- Ese producto es muy chafa, mejor busca algo mejor.That product is very low-quality, look for something better.
- Ponle la música más bajo, no quiero molestar a los vecinos.Turn the music down, I don't want to disturb the neighbors.
- Aflojá el fuego de la cocina, la comida se está quemando.Lower the stove flame, the food is burning.
- Dale, aflojá un poco con las bromas.Come on, ease up on the jokes a bit.
- Es necesario rebajar la velocidad en las zonas escolares.It's necessary to lower the speed in school zones.
- ¿Podrías rebajar el precio de este artículo? Me interesa comprarlo.Could you lower the price of this item? I'm interested in buying it.
- La parte inferior de la caja está rota.The lower part of the box is broken.
Example conversation
Sofía and Mateo are looking at a shelf in a store.
- Sofía¿Dónde está el producto?Where is the product?
- MateoMira en el estante inferior.Look on the lower shelf.
- Sofía¡Ah, lo encontré!Ah, I found it!
- MateoQué bueno, Sofía.That's good, Sofía.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lower” translations and entries inferior, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (de, abajo, más) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries abajo, de, inferior, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
