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🎨 Describing Things · Step 1: 📝 Words — Start here: the key words and phrases.

Lesson note

Grammar Tip: Bajo/a does double duty: as an adjective it means short (mi gato es bajo), but as an adverb it means low/quietly (habla más bajo — speak more quietly). Context tells you which one is meant.

Tip: turn pronunciation off to test yourself.

Learn
clean
limpio/aLEEM-pyoh/ah
closed
cerrado/aseh-RRAH-doh/ah
dirty
sucio/aSOO-syoh/ah
down
abajoah-BAH-hoh
dry
seco/aSEH-koh/ah
early
tempranotehm-PRAH-noh
empty
vacío/avah-SEE-oh/ah
full
lleno/aYEH-noh/ah
heavy
pesado/apeh-SAH-doh/ah
late
tardeTAHR-deh
light
ligero/alee-HEH-roh/ah
loud
ruidoso/arwee-DOH-soh/ah
open
abierto/aah-BYEHR-toh/ah
quiet
callado/akah-YAH-doh/ah
short
bajo/aBAH-hoh/ah
strong
fuerteFWEHR-teh
tall
alto/aAHL-toh/ah
up
arribaah-RREE-bah
weak
débilDEH-beel
wet
mojado/amoh-HAH-doh/ah
In a sentence
My dog is tall, but my cat is short.
Mi perro es alto, pero mi gato es bajo.mee PEH-rroh ehs AHL-toh, PEH-roh mee GAH-toh ehs BAH-hoh.
The coffee is strong, but the tea is weak.
El café está fuerte, pero el té está débil.ehl kah-FEH ehs-TAH FWEHR-teh, PEH-roh ehl TEH ehs-TAH DEH-beel.
The street is loud, but the house is quiet.
La calle está ruidosa, pero la casa está callada.lah KAH-yeh ehs-TAH rwee-DOH-sah, PEH-roh lah KAH-sah ehs-TAH kah-YAH-dah.
They are going to go up, not down.
Ellos van a subir, no bajar.EH-yohs vahn ah soo-BEER, noh bah-HAHR.
They fill the empty glass.
Ellos llenan el vaso vacío.EH-yohs YEH-nahn ehl VAH-soh vah-SEE-oh.
They left the clothes wet.
Ellas dejaron la ropa mojada.EH-yahs deh-HAH-rohn lah ROH-pah moh-HAH-dah.
Tomorrow I am going to dry the floor.
Mañana voy a secar el piso.mah-NYAH-nah voy ah seh-KAHR ehl PEE-soh.
We arrived early, not late.
Llegamos temprano, no tarde.yeh-GAH-mohs tehm-PRAH-noh, noh TAHR-deh.
Yesterday I cleaned the dirty table.
Ayer limpié la mesa sucia.ah-YEHR leem-PYEH lah MEH-sah SOO-syah.
You are going to speak more quietly.
Tú vas a hablar más bajo.too vahs ah ah-BLAHR mahs BAH-hoh.
You carried the heavy box.
Tú cargaste la caja pesada.too kahr-GAHS-teh lah KAH-hah peh-SAH-dah.
You open the window and close the door.
Tú abres la ventana y cierras la puerta.too AH-brehs lah vehn-TAH-nah ee SYEH-rrahs lah PWEHR-tah.
Ask & Answer
Is it open or closed?
¿Está abierto o cerrado?¿ehs-TAH ah-BYEHR-toh oh seh-RRAH-doh?
It's closed.
Está cerrado.ehs-TAH seh-RRAH-doh.
Is it full or empty?
¿Está lleno o vacío?¿ehs-TAH YEH-noh oh vah-SEE-oh?
It is empty.
Está vacío.ehs-TAH vah-SEE-oh.
Is the table clean?
¿La mesa está limpia?¿lah MEH-sah ehs-TAH LEEM-pyah?
No, it is dirty.
No, está sucia.noh, ehs-TAH SOO-syah.
Which box are you going to carry?
¿Qué caja vas a llevar?¿keh KAH-hah vahs ah yeh-VAHR?
The light box.
La caja ligera.lah KAH-hah lee-HEH-rah.
Who arrived late?
¿Quién llegó tarde?¿kyehn yeh-GOH TAHR-deh?
They arrived late.
Llegaron tarde ellos.yeh-GAH-rohn TAHR-deh EH-yohs.
More to ask
Is the corner store open?
¿Está abierto el colmado?¿ehs-TAH ah-BYEHR-toh ehl kohl-MAH-doh?
No, it's closed already.
No, ya está cerrado.noh, yah ehs-TAH seh-RRAH-doh.
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Answer the 5 quick questions to check what you learned.

1. Which Spanish phrase means “We arrived early, not late.”?

2. What does “arriba” mean?

3. Choose the best English sentence for “Tú abres la ventana y cierras la puerta.”.

4. What does “abajo” mean?

5. Which Spanish phrase means “They fill the empty glass.”?

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