Learn Spanish (Spain): Vamos a superar la adversidad, cueste lo que cueste. - We are going to overcome the adversity, whatever it costs.

Vamos a superar la adversidad, cueste lo que cueste.

We are going to overcome the adversity, whatever it costs.

Breakdown of Vamos a superar la adversidad, cueste lo que cueste.

to overcome / to beat, surpass (a record)

Questions & Answers about Vamos a superar la adversidad, cueste lo que cueste.

Why is cueste in the subjunctive here, and why is it repeated?

This structure (verb + lo que + verb) is a reduplicative formula used to express indifference to an obstacle, similar to saying 'no matter what.' Both verbs are in the subjunctive because the exact amount of effort or hardship is unknown or hypothetical. Literally, it means 'may it cost what it may cost.'

Why do we need the article la before adversidad when the English translation does not use 'the'?

In Spanish, abstract nouns representing general concepts, like adversidad (adversity) or amor (love), always require a definite article. English typically drops the article in these broad, general cases.

Does costar in this phrase refer to money, or something else?

It usually refers to something else. While costar literally means to cost financially, the idiom cueste lo que cueste is mostly figurative. It translates to 'whatever it takes' or 'at all costs', referring to effort, time, or sacrifices rather than actual money.

Could we use the future tense superaremos instead of vamos a superar?

Yes, superaremos la adversidad is completely correct and means the same thing. However, using ir a + infinitive is very common for expressing a strong, immediate personal determination to do something, which perfectly matches the defiant tone of this sentence.