cuesta
KWEH-stah
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
¿Cuánto cuesta esta camisa?
A1How much does this shirt cost?
Me cuesta levantarme temprano.
A2It is difficult for me to get up early. (Literally: It costs me to get up early.)
A él le cuesta hablar en público.
B1It is hard for him to speak in public.
💡 Grammar Points
Stem-Changing Verb
The 'o' in the root changes to 'ue' in most present tense forms, except for the 'nosotros' and 'vosotros' forms. This makes it irregular.
Using 'Cuesta' for Difficulty
When expressing difficulty, Spanish uses 'cuesta' with an indirect object pronoun (me, te, le, etc.): 'Me cuesta' means 'I find it hard' or 'It's hard for me.'
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using 'Cuesta' vs. 'Cuestan'
Mistake: "Using 'cuesta' for plural items: '¿Cuánto cuesta los zapatos?'"
Correction: The verb must match the item's number: '¿Cuánto cuestan los zapatos?' (plural item = plural verb form).
⭐ Usage Tips
The 'Me Cuesta' Structure
Think of the phrase 'Me cuesta' as a shortcut for 'This action costs me effort.' It's one of the most natural ways to express personal difficulty in Spanish.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: cuesta
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'cuesta' as a noun?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
If 'cuesta' is the verb form, why is it used to mean 'it is difficult'?
The core meaning of the verb 'costar' is 'to require effort or expense.' When you say 'Me cuesta bailar,' you are literally saying 'Dancing requires effort/cost from me,' which we translate naturally as 'It is difficult for me to dance.'
How can I tell the difference between the noun 'cuesta' and the verb 'cuesta'?
The noun 'cuesta' is always preceded by an article (la, una, esta) and usually followed by a descriptive word (empinada, larga). The verb 'cuesta' is usually preceded by a person's pronoun (me, te, le, nos) or refers to the subject of the sentence (El libro cuesta 20 dólares).