costó
“costó” means “it cost” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
it cost, he/she/you (formal) cost
Also: was priced at
📝 In Action
¿Cuánto costó esa bicicleta nueva?
A1How much did that new bike cost?
Me costó cincuenta dólares, fue una ganga.
A2It cost me fifty dollars, it was a bargain.
El viaje costó más de lo que esperábamos.
A2The trip cost more than we expected.
it was difficult, it took effort
Also: it was hard
📝 In Action
Nos costó mucho llegar a la cima de la montaña.
B1It was very difficult for us to reach the top of the mountain.
A mi hijo le costó concentrarse en la clase de matemáticas.
B2It was hard for my son to concentrate in math class.
Aunque costó, terminamos el proyecto a tiempo.
B2Although it took effort, we finished the project on time.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: costó
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'costó' to mean 'it was difficult'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin verb *constāre*, meaning 'to stand firm' or 'to be fixed at a price.' This connection between stability and a fixed price is how it evolved into the Spanish word for cost.
First recorded: Around the 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'costó' and 'costaba'?
'Costó' (preterite) is used for a specific, completed purchase in the past ('The car cost $10,000'). 'Costaba' (imperfect) describes what things generally used to cost, or the cost over a period of time in the past ('Back then, gas cost less').
Why does 'costó' have an accent mark?
The accent mark on the 'o' is essential! It tells you that the stress falls on the final syllable, marking it as the simple past tense (preterite) of the verb. If it didn't have the accent (costo), it would be the noun meaning 'cost' or the 'yo' present tense form of 'costar' in some regions, which is incorrect standard usage.