Why Bajar Is More Than "To Go Down"
Bajar is the mirror of subir: stairs, fevers, weight, volume, and files all go down. It is regular, and like subir it works two ways. Without a pronoun it means to lower or descend, and the reflexive bajarse means to get off a vehicle.
Learn these six patterns as whole chunks and you will get off, lower, and download without translating word by word.
Pattern 1: Me bajo aquí — "I'm getting off here"
The reflexive bajarse plus de is how you leave a vehicle. It is the chunk for taxis, buses, and trains, and it is the answer to "where do you want to get off?". For more on the reflexive pattern, see Reflexive Verbs Chunks.
- Me bajo aquí, por favor. — I'm getting off here, please.
- ¿Dónde me bajo para ir al museo? — Where do I get off for the museum?
- Bájate del coche, que llegamos. — Get out of the car, we've arrived.
Chunk to learn:
Me bajo aquí / Bajarse de + [autobús / coche / tren]
Pattern 2: Bajar las escaleras — "To go down the stairs"
Without a pronoun, bajar takes the thing you descend. It also means to come downstairs: use it with enseguida for "I'll be right down". For its twin, see [Subir] Chunks.
- Bajo las escaleras con cuidado. — I go down the stairs carefully.
- Bajo enseguida. — I'll be right down.
- Bajamos al sótano. — We went down to the basement.
Chunk to learn:
Bajar las escaleras / Bajo enseguida / Bajar al + [place]
Pattern 3: Bajar de peso — "To lose weight"
Spanish says "to go down in weight". Use de plus the thing that falls: weight, price, or fever. It is natural in small talk about health, and it works for prices as the opposite of subir.
- He bajado de peso. — I've lost weight.
- Me bajó la fiebre. — My fever went down.
- Ha bajado el precio de la gasolina. — The price of gas has dropped.
Chunk to learn:
Bajar de peso / Me bajó la fiebre / Bajar el precio
Pattern 4: Bájate la app — "Download the app"
In much of Latin America, bajar also means to download. Spain prefers descargar, and both are understood. With the reflexive, it sounds casual and friendly.
- Bájate la app, es gratis. — Download the app, it's free.
- Bajé la película anoche. — I downloaded the movie last night.
- ¿Puedes bajar el archivo? — Can you download the file?
Chunk to learn:
Bajarse + [la app / un archivo] / Bajar + [película]
Pattern 5: Baja la voz — "Lower your voice"
Bajar lowers sound: voice, music, and volume. In Mexico you will also hear bájale, a short way to say "turn it down". For more with attached pronouns, see Object Pronouns Chunks.
- Baja la voz, por favor. — Lower your voice, please.
- ¿Puedes bajar la música? — Can you turn down the music?
- Bájale al volumen. — Turn the volume down.
Chunk to learn:
Baja la voz / Bajar la música / Bájale al volumen
Pattern 6: No bajes los brazos — "Don't give up"
Two idioms with bajar: bajar los brazos is to give up, and bajar la guardia is to let your guard down. Use the first to encourage someone and the second to warn them.
- No bajes los brazos. — Don't give up.
- Nunca bajó la guardia. — He never let his guard down.
- No te rindas ni bajes la guardia. — Don't give up or let your guard down.
Chunk to learn:
No bajes los brazos / Bajar la guardia
Bajar vs. Descargar
Descargar is the neutral word for downloading and works everywhere: Descarga el archivo. Bajar is a Latin American favorite that you will hear in conversation. Learn descargar for writing and bajar for what you hear. For another verb of movement, see [Entrar] Chunks.
Start with me bajo aquí and no bajes los brazos. You will use both the next time you speak Spanish.
This post is part of the Spanish Chunk Series — a growing collection of chunk patterns for natural Spanish.