bajar

Bajar is a Spanish verb with several related meanings centered on moving downward or reducing something. In ordinary use, it denotes going from a higher position to a lower one, such as bajar las escaleras (to go down the stairs) or bajar de una montaña. It is also used to indicate a decrease in quantity, level, or intensity, as in bajar el volumen, bajar la temperatura, or bajar el precio de un producto. The sense of transfer downward extends to non-physical domains, for example bajar la velocidad (to slow down) or bajar un estándar.

In computing and digital contexts, bajar commonly means “to download” a file or application. Examples: “Voy a bajar la canción” or “hay que bajar el programa desde Internet.” Note that in many Spanish-speaking regions the synonym descargar is also widely used, though bajar has become common in casual speech.

Reflexive use and idioms: bajarse is used to mean getting off a vehicle (“bajé del bus”), or removing oneself from a situation. Phrases such as “bajar la guardia” (lower one’s guard), “bajar la voz” (lower one’s voice), and “bajar de peso” (lose weight) are common.

Etymology and related terms: the verb derives from Latin bajāre, with cognates in other Romance languages. The opposite of bajar is subir, meaning to rise or to upload in digital contexts.