coste
“coste” means “cost” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
cost
Also: expense, price
📝 In Action
El coste de la vida ha subido mucho este año.
A2The cost of living has gone up a lot this year.
Debemos reducir el coste de producción para ser competitivos.
B1We must reduce the production cost to be competitive.
El billete de avión tiene un coste adicional por la maleta.
A2The plane ticket has an additional cost for the suitcase.
toll
Also: sacrifice, cost
📝 In Action
El éxito tuvo un gran coste personal para el atleta.
B2Success took a great personal toll on the athlete.
Ganar el juicio tuvo un coste emocional muy alto.
C1Winning the trial had a very high emotional cost.
No podemos permitirnos el coste humano de esta decisión.
B2We cannot afford the human cost of this decision.
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: coste
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence is correct when talking about money in Spain?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin word 'constare', which meant 'to stand together' or 'to be established'. Over time, it came to mean the value at which something was established or bought.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'coste' used in Latin America?
People will understand you, but they will likely think you sound like you're from Spain. In the Americas, 'costo' is the standard word.
Does 'coste' have a plural form?
Yes, 'los costes'. It is used frequently when talking about business expenses (e.g., 'reducir costes').
Can I use 'coste' as a verb?
No, 'coste' is only a noun. To say 'to cost', you must use the verb 'costar'.