encima de
/enˈθima de/
The English phrase "top of" is translated into Spanish as encima de.
encima de is used to describe something that is in a position higher than or resting on another object. While encima de describes physical placement, other phrases like en la cumbre de can be used for figurative expressions of accomplishment or being "at the top". To describe the position of something within an image or a scene, you can use en la parte superior de.
Which one should you use?
encima de implies a position above or resting on something, whereas debajo de means underneath or below it.
How does it change in a sentence?
When the word following encima de is the masculine singular article el, the two words contract into del (e.g., encima del armario).
How do you pronounce it?
/enˈθima de/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid omitting the word de when referring to a specific object. Unlike English where you might just say "on top", in Spanish you must use encima de before the object.
Did you know?
- In colloquial Spanish, saying ¡encima! as a standalone exclamation functions like the English phrase 'to top it all off' or 'on top of everything else' when complaining about a series of misfortunes.
- The term cima in encima shares an ancient root with the Greek word kûmă, which refers to a wave or a crest.
- While encima de requires an object, you can end a sentence with just encima to mean 'above' in a general, non-specific sense.
Examples in context
- El gato salta encima de la mesa.The cat jumps on top of the table.This sentence shows the use of encima de regarding a cat and a table.Tatoeba #1502175 by marcelostockle, translation #1224116 by Ketutar
- No pongas nada encima de la caja.Don't put anything on top of the box.This sentence demonstrates using encima de with a box.Tatoeba #630809 by Leono, translation #44472 by CK
- Te los pusimos encima del armario.We put them on top of the wardrobe.This sentence illustrates the contraction into encima del when following a masculine singular article.Tatoeba #11149343 by JSKabylie, translation #11149344 by DJ_Saidez
- El montañista llegó a la cima del Everest.The mountaineer reached the top of Everest.
- La parte superior del edificio ofrece una vista impresionante.The top of the building offers an impressive view.
- Llegamos a la cima del cerro. ¡Qué vista espectacular!We reached the top of the hill. What a spectacular view!
- Este termómetro llega al tope de 40 grados.This thermometer reaches a maximum of 40 degrees.
- Finalmente, llegamos a la cumbre del Aconcagua. ¡Qué logro!Finally, we reached the top of Aconcagua. What an achievement!
- Estoy en la cumbre de mi carrera profesional.I'm at the top of my professional career.
- El águila majestuosa se encuentra en la parte superior del árbol.The majestic eagle is located at the top of the tree.
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Daniel are organizing their living room.
- Lucía¿Está el libro encima de la mesa?Is the book on top of the table?
- DanielNo, está encima de la estantería.No, it is on top of the shelf.
- LucíaGracias, Daniel. Lo bajaré ahora.Thanks, Daniel. I will take it down now.
- DanielDe nada, Lucía.You're welcome, Lucía.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry encima de, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, encima, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
