costó
/kos-TOH/
it cost
The image shows an exchange of value for a product, illustrating "it cost" (past price or expense).
costó(verb)
it cost
?past price or expense
,he/she/you (formal) cost
?referring to a singular person setting a price
was priced at
?past valuation
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
The 'It' Form
In this meaning, 'costó' almost always refers to a thing (like 'it') or a singular event, so the 'él/ella/usted' form is the most common usage.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing Past Tenses
Mistake: "Using the imperfect 'costaba' when asking for a specific price: '¿Cuánto costaba?'"
Correction: Use the preterite 'costó' for a finished action (a specific purchase): '¿Cuánto costó?' The imperfect 'costaba' describes what things used to cost generally.
⭐ Usage Tips
Focus on the Object
The subject doing the action (the thing that cost) is almost always placed after the verb: 'Costó cien dólares la entrada' (The ticket cost a hundred dollars).
The character's struggle to push the boulder up the hill visualizes the meaning "it was difficult" (required effort).
costó(verb)
it was difficult
?required effort
,it took effort
?was hard to achieve
it was hard
?effort or struggle involved
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
Using Effort Verbs
When 'costar' means 'to take effort,' it works like the verb 'gustar.' You need an indirect object pronoun (me, te, le, nos, etc.) to show who experienced the difficulty. Example: 'Le costó' (It was difficult for him/her).
Follow-up Action
The action that was difficult usually follows 'costó' as an infinitive verb (e.g., 'costó terminar' - it was hard to finish) or a noun (e.g., 'costó el ascenso' - the promotion was hard).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Direct Translation
Mistake: "Saying 'Yo costé' to mean 'I struggled.'"
Correction: You must use the third-person form 'costó' (or 'costaron') and an indirect pronoun: 'Me costó' (It was difficult for me/I struggled).
⭐ Usage Tips
Emphasizing Difficulty
To emphasize just how hard it was, frequently add 'mucho' (a lot) or 'un montón' (a ton) after 'costó': 'Costó muchísimo'.
🔄 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
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.