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costa

kos-ta/ˈkosta/

“costa” means “coast” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

coast, shore

Also: seaside
NounfA1
MexicoSpain
A sunny sandy beach where gentle waves meet the shore, illustrating the edge of the land.

📝 In Action

Pasaremos nuestras vacaciones en la costa del Mediterráneo.

A1

We will spend our vacation on the Mediterranean coast.

La costa de ese país es muy rocosa y difícil de navegar.

A2

The shore of that country is very rocky and difficult to navigate.

Hay pueblos pequeños y bonitos a lo largo de toda la costa.

B1

There are beautiful small towns all along the entire coast.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • litoral (coastline)
  • playa (beach)

Common Collocations

  • la costa atlántica – the Atlantic coast
  • la línea de costa – the coastline

cost, expense

Also: judicial costs, sacrifice
NounfB2formal/idiomatic
A hand holds a perfect red apple while another hand reaches out offering a small stack of shiny gold tokens, symbolizing the price or expense of the item.

📝 In Action

Logró su éxito a costa de mucho esfuerzo y dedicación.

B2

He achieved his success at the cost of much effort and dedication. (Meaning: through great sacrifice)

Si pierdes el juicio, tendrás que pagar las costas judiciales.

C1

If you lose the trial, you will have to pay the court costs.

Debemos defender nuestra posición a toda costa.

B2

We must defend our position at all costs (Meaning: whatever the sacrifice).

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • costas del proceso – procedural costs
  • liquidación de costas – cost settlement

Idioms & Expressions

  • a toda costa – at all costs; whatever the sacrifice
  • a costa de – at the expense of; by sacrificing something

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "costa" in Spanish:

coast→judicial costs→seaside→shore→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: costa

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'costa' in its geographical meaning?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
costar(to cost) — Verb
costoso(expensive) — Adjective
coste(cost (synonym for the financial meaning)) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
postaaposta
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Latin word *costa*, which originally meant 'rib' or 'side' (of the body). This root evolved to mean the 'side' of the land (the coast) and metaphorically, the 'side' or expense involved in an effort.

First recorded: 13th century (in Spanish)

Cognates (Related words)

French: côteItalian: costa

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'costa' a geographical term only, or does it have other uses?

While the main use of 'costa' is the geographical one (coast/shore), it also has an important formal and idiomatic meaning related to 'expense' or 'sacrifice', often seen in phrases like 'a toda costa' (at all costs).

What is the difference between 'la costa' and 'el coste'?

'La costa' (feminine) refers to the seashore. 'El coste' (masculine) is a synonym for 'el precio' or 'el gasto' (the price or expense), and is only used for the financial meaning.