calle abajo
/kaʝe abaxo/from spelling rules
The Spanish phrase for "down the street" is calle abajo.
The phrase is used to indicate a position or movement further along a road in a specific direction.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain Latin American countries, por la cuadra may be used instead of por la calle to refer to "down the street."
Did you know?
- The word abajo in calle abajo shares an ancestor with the English word 'abase', which means to lower someone's dignity or status.
- While calle abajo describes a direction, Spanish speakers may use bajar as a verb to mean they are heading 'down' a street even if the road is physically flat.
- In certain contexts, saying abajo can imply moving away from a city center or toward a lower social or geographic area, not just a physical descent.
Examples in context
- ¿Sabes dónde está el cine? Justo por la calle principal.Do you know where the cinema is? It's right down the main street.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Lucía are looking for a bakery.
- AlejandroNo veo la panadería por aquí.I don't see the bakery around here.
- LucíaEstá un poco más calle abajo, Alejandro.It is a bit further down the street, Alejandro.
- Alejandro¿Está cerca de la esquina?Is it near the corner?
- LucíaSí, sigue caminando calle abajo.Yes, keep walking down the street.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries abajo, calle, CC BY-SA 4.0.
