The most common use of "below" is as adverb of place. In this case, the correct spelling is down, that is, together. There are some situations where the word “down” is used as adjective and may be preceded by the preposition "in", giving rise to under with separate spelling.
Down
When is it adverb of place, that is, it indicates the location of an object, for example, it is spelled together. This is the most recurrent case in writing.
See some examples:
the books are down of the table.
I found these keys down from the couch.
Down from the stairs, there is a door that leads down to the basement.
Pedro parked the car down from the tree.
Down from the nose is the mouth.
I'm waiting for you down of the marquee.
Read too: Five Grammatical Mistakes No One Should Make!
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Under
In this case, you have the prepositionin (governed by a verb or noun) next to adjectivelow (because it is an adjective, it accompanies and characterizes a noun). As these are two words, they are spelled separately.
See some examples:
This wall is decorated under relief.
I will speak under voice tone.
I intend to invest under risk.
It is observed in the above sentences the use of the adjective “low” referring to and characterizing the nouns “relief”, “tone” and “risk”, respectively.
Some related questions
bottom x top
Although the adverb of place down is spelled together, its antonym is represented by a adverbial phrase: on.
See some examples:
the books are down of the table.
the books are on of the table.
Down from the stairs, there is a door.
On from the stairs, there is a door.
below x below
In fact, these two expressions are adverbs of place and they are synonyms. This means that it is indifferent to use one or the other, as they have the same meaning.
See some examples:
the books are down of the table.
the books are under of the table.
Down from the stairs, there is a door.
Under from the stairs, there is a door.
Read too: How to avoid ten common Portuguese mistakes
below x below
Here, the logic is the same as for down and under. The word under é adverb of place and spelled together. Under is formed by adjective "low" preceded by preposition "of", so it is spelled separately.
See some examples as an adverb of place:
the keys were under of the table.
Under of the carpet, there is a lot of dirt.
See some examples such as preposition and adjective:
we talked under business cost.
they needed under value for the purchase to be viable.
How do you spell “sign underneath”?
This is a very specific but very common question. In this case, the word down it is an adverb, that is, it indicates the place where it is signed. So spell it together.
Look:
I sign down everything that was said by the leader.
by Jairo Beraldo
Portuguese Language Teacher
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
BERALDO, Jairus. "Below or below?"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/gramatica/embaixo-ou-baixo.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
