cuesta arriba / cuesta abajo

Question

Context: This is from a children's book which I have, Perro Grande . . . Perro Pequeño / Big Dog . . . Little Dog, written in English and translated to Spanish. The sentences are as follows.

Caminaron cuesta arriba. / They walked uphill.
Caminaron cuesta abajo. / They walked downhill.

Why not just say "arriba" or "abajo", or "Subieron a la colina" / "Bajaron de la colina"? Where does this expression come from? (cuesta = cost'') Is it standard Spanish'

Answer 1

Natasha said:

That's interesting. Some English expressions come to mind. An "uphill battle", of course, represents something difficult to accomplish. However, "all downhill" usually indicates that things are not going well!

I think I spoke too fast: "cuesta arriba" is definitely a problem, but "cuesta abajo" can be interpreted both ways, and it means that things are going from bad to worse most of the time.

Una vez superado el problema, ya todo es cuesta abajo (todo se vuelve más fácil).
Cuando empiezan los problemas, todo es cuesta abajo (todo empeora).

Answer 2

That's interesting. Some English expressions come to mind. An "uphill battle", of course, represents something difficult to accomplish. However, "all downhill" usually indicates that things are not going well!

Actually, in English it's exactly the same as Lazarus has described for Spanish. That is, "it's all downhill" can have either a positive or a negative meaning depending on the context.

We've been working overtime up to this point, but it's all downhill from here, so we should be able to go home on time.
It's all downhill once a senior breaks a hip.

I don't think either meaning is that much more prevalent than the other.

Answer 3

lazarus1907 said:

Those expressions indicate the kind of slope you're facing. "Cuesta arriba" is a slope you have to climb, and by extension, any difficulty you encounter in life, anything that requires an effort. "Cuesta abajo" is the same slope, but this time helping you down. Sometimes it is used to indicate that things happen easily and by themselves.

That's interesting. Some English expressions come to mind. An "uphill battle", of course, represents something difficult to accomplish. However, "all downhill" usually indicates that things are not going well!

Answer 4

Those expressions indicate the kind of slope you're facing. "Cuesta arriba" is a slope you have to climb, and by extension, any difficulty you encounter in life, anything that requires an effort. "Cuesta abajo" is the same slope, but this time helping you down. Sometimes it is used to indicate that things happen easily and by themselves.

Answer 5

Heidita said:

Hola Nati: Esta definición de ayudará:cuesta1.(Del lat. costa, costilla, costado).1. f. Terreno en pendiente.Podríamos haber dicho:Subieron la cuesta.Bajaron la cuesta.

Thank you, that makes more sense. So a more literal translation of the Spanish would be:

The walked up (down) the slope.

Answer 6

Hola Nati: Esta definición de ayudará:

*cuesta1.

(Del lat. costa, costilla, costado).
1. f. Terreno en pendiente.*

Podríamos haber dicho:

Subieron la cuesta.

Bajaron la cuesta.