The Present Tense of costar is used to express the current cost or price of something, as well as to convey the idea of difficulty or effort required for an action. For example, Este libro cuesta 20 euros. (This book costs 20 euros.)
Costar is a stem-changing verb, meaning the vowel in the stem changes from o to ue in all forms except the nosotros and vosotros forms.
Conjugations
Conjugations of Costar (to cost) in the Present Tense tense (Castilian Spanish):
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | cuesto |
| Tú | cuestas |
| Él / Ella / Usted | cuesta |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | costamos |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | costáis |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | cuestan |
Boost Your Memorization with Audio!
We’ve included audio recordings of the the conjugations of Costar (to cost) in the Present Tense to help you learn faster.
Pro Tip: Play the audio on a loop as you study the chart. This repetition will solidify the correct conjugations in your memory.
Usage of Costar in the Present Tense
Costar generally means “to cost” or “to be priced at”, but has several different meanings in the Present Tense, some of which might surprise you.
To cost (money): For example, Este coche me cuesta 20.000 euros. (This car costs me 20,000 euros.)
To be difficult or require effort: For example, Me cuesta mucho levantarme temprano. (It’s very difficult for me to get up early.)
To be hard to believe: For example, Me cuesta creer que haya aprobado el examen. (I can hardly believe that he passed the exam.)
Colloquial usage (rude): For example, ¡Me cuesta aguantarte cuando te pones así! (It’s so hard to put up with you when you act like that!)
Examples
Examples of Costar in the Present Tense
Viajar a Europa cuesta mucho dinero. (Traveling to Europe costs a lot of money.)
¿Cuánto cuesta esta camisa? (How much does this shirt cost?)
El nuevo coche cuesta 20,000 dólares. (The new car costs $20,000.)
Aprender un idioma cuesta mucho esfuerzo y dedicación. (Learning a language takes a lot of effort and dedication.)
La comida en este restaurante cuesta un ojo de la cara. (The food at this restaurant costs an arm and a leg.)
Mis amigos y yo costamos la cuenta después de cenar. (My friends and I split the bill after dinner.)
¿Cuánto cuestan las entradas para el concierto? (How much do the concert tickets cost?)
Ustedes costáis mucho mantener con todos esos caprichos. (You all cost a lot to maintain with all those whims.)
La reparación del coche cuesta más de lo que pensaba. (The car repair costs more than I thought.)
Tú cuestas mucho trabajo, ¡pero vale la pena! (You cost a lot of work, but it’s worth it!)
Yo cuesto menos que la mayoría de mis amigos. (I cost less than most of my friends.)
Esa marca de ropa cuesta un dineral. (That clothing brand costs a fortune.)
Las entradas para el partido cuestan un ojo de la cara. (The tickets for the game cost an arm and a leg.)
Mantener un estilo de vida saludable cuesta esfuerzo, pero vale la pena. (Maintaining a healthy lifestyle takes effort, but it’s worth it.)
La educación universitaria cuesta una fortuna en algunos países. (A university education costs a fortune in some countries.)
Conjugations with English Translations
Conjugations of Costar (to cost) in the Present Tense tense (Castilian Spanish) with English Translations:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Yo cuesto | I cost |
| Tú cuestas | You cost |
| Él / Ella / Usted cuesta | He / She / You (formal) costs |
| Nosotros / Nosotras costamos | We cost |
| Vosotros / Vosotras costáis | You all cost |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes cuestan | They / You all (formal) cost |
This post covers Castilian Spanish. For Latin American Spanish, click here
Synonyms
The Present tense is also known as the Simple Present, Present Simple, Present Tense, or Present Indicative in English, and as Presente de Indicativo, Presente Simple, Tiempo Presente, or Indicativo Presente in Spanish.