hombre alto
/ombɾe alto/from spelling rules
The English phrase "tall man" is translated into Spanish as hombre alto.
The phrase hombre alto is a common and neutral way to express that a man has a greater height than average. You may also see the phrase un hombre alto used to mean "a tall man".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase follows the standard Spanish word order of noun followed by adjective, literally translating to "man tall".
Which one should you use?
While hombre alto is the standard neutral phrase, you might use Chico alto or Tipo alto to mean "tall guy" in more casual contexts.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, the phrase hombre de gran estatura is occasionally used to convey the idea of a "tall man".
How do you pronounce it?
/ombɾe alto/
Did you know?
- While alto describes a 'tall man', it is also used as a command to 'stop'. This specific usage was borrowed from the German word halt.
- The word hombre is a linguistic relative of the word 'earthling'. Both stem from the Proto-Indo-European root *ǵʰmṓ, which links the concept of 'man' to the 'earth'.
Examples in context
- Tom es un hombre alto.Tom is a tall man.This sentence uses hombre alto to identify a person.Tatoeba #3443432 by Shishir, translation #3442424 by CK
- Ayer vio a un hombre alto.She saw a tall man yesterday.This sentence uses hombre alto to describe a person seen in the past.Tatoeba #541446 by Shishir, translation #310734 by CK
- Hay un hombre alto en la clase.There is a tall man in the classroom.This sentence uses hombre alto to state the presence of a person in a room.Tatoeba #1946196 by teskmon, translation #19032 by Ignoto
- El señor Martínez es un hombre alto y elegante.Mr. Martínez is a tall and elegant man.
- Mi amigo Luis es un chico alto y deportista.My friend Luis is a tall and sporty guy.
- Roberto es un hombre de gran estatura, destaca entre la multitud.Roberto is a tall man, he stands out in the crowd.
- 14 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Alejandro are looking at a photo of a crowd.
- María¿Viste a ese hombre alto?Did you see that tall man?
- AlejandroSí, es un hombre alto y fuerte.Yes, he is a tall and strong man.
- MaríaParece un modelo profesional.He looks like a professional model.
- AlejandroTal vez, es muy impresionante.Maybe, he is very impressive.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries alto, hombre, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
