corto
/ˈkoɾto/
In Spanish, the word for short is corto.
Corto is used to describe things that are brief, abrupt or short in length and duration. You can also use the construction corto de [noun] to express being short of a resource, such as money or time.
Meaning: abrupt, brief, pointed, petulant (adj)
Which one should you use?
There is a distinction between length and height in Spanish. Use corto to describe something short in terms of length, duration or being abrupt. However, if you are describing a person's physical height, you should use bajo instead.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, the informal term chaparro/a is often used to describe a person as short, frequently carrying a warm and affectionate connotation.
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, corto must agree in both gender and number with the noun it modifies. Use the feminine form corta for feminine nouns, such as falda (skirt). For plural nouns, use cortos for masculine plural or cortas for feminine plural.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkoɾto/
Did you know?
- While corto describes length, the word bajo describes height. This means you cannot use corto to say a person is short, or you would be implying they were sliced.
- Calling someone corto de entendimiento is a common idiom used to describe someone who is slow to understand or lacks intelligence.
- The English word 'curt' is a direct linguistic cousin to the Spanish corto, both sharing the same ancient roots.
Examples in context
- Su pelo está corto.His hair is short.This sentence shows how to use corto to describe hair.Tatoeba #6795697 by arh, translation #9594066 by DJ_Saidez
- Tiene el pelo corto.He has short hair.This sentence demonstrates an alternative way to say someone has short hair using corto.Tatoeba #2210040 by Shishir, translation #1946905 by Spamster
- Estoy corto de dinero.I'm very short of money.This sentence illustrates the construction corto de to express being short of a resource.Tatoeba #967686 by leoruilova, translation #37860 by CK
- Mi amigo es bastante bajo.My friend is quite short.
- Juan siempre ha sido bajito, incluso cuando éramos niños.Juan has always been short, even when we were kids.
- 82 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and Sofía are discussing a tense interaction they had with a boss.
- AlejandroEl jefe fue muy corto conmigo hoy.The boss was very short with me today.
- SofíaSí, parecía que estaba muy molesto.Yes, he seemed very annoyed.
- AlejandroMe respondió de un modo corto y seco.He answered me in a short and blunt way.
- SofíaNo te preocupes, Alejandro, seguro tiene estrés.Don't worry, Alejandro, he's probably stressed.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry corto, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries corto, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
