arriba
Lemma Details
Translation: up; above; upstairs; overhead; upward
Part of Speech: adverb
Etymology: Derived from Latin 'ad ripam' meaning 'to the shore/bank', which evolved to mean 'up' or 'above' in Spanish. The transformation from 'to the shore' to 'up/above' reflects how sailors would refer to going 'to the shore' as going 'up' from the water level. This nautical origin connects to how English uses 'ashore' to indicate movement toward land from water.
Commonality: 90%
Guessability: 30%
Register: neutral
Mnemonics
- Think of 'arrive up' - when you arrive somewhere by climbing, you go 'arriba'.
- The double 'r' in 'arriba' can remind you of a ladder going up.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Example Wordforms
Cultural Context
In Mexican culture, '¡Arriba!' is a common exclamation of encouragement or celebration, often associated with mariachi music and traditional festivities. The phrase '¡Arriba, arriba! ¡Ándale, ándale!' was popularized by the cartoon character Speedy Gonzales.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'arriba' is an adverb meaning 'up' or 'above', 'arribada' is a noun referring to the arrival of ships to port or the mass nesting of sea turtles.
Confused word:
La arribada de las tortugas ocurre cada año.
The mass arrival of turtles occurs every year.
Notes: Both words share the same Latin root 'ad ripam' (to the shore), but evolved to have different meanings.
Mnemonic: 'Arribada' has the extra 'da' ending, which can remind you of 'arrival date'.
Explanation: 'Arriba' is an adverb indicating position or direction, while 'arrimar' is a verb meaning 'to bring close' or 'to approach'.
Notes: Both words can relate to position, but 'arriba' is about being up/above while 'arrimar' is about bringing things closer together.
Mnemonic: 'Arrimar' contains 'mar' (sea), so think of boats coming closer to shore.