Inklingo

How to Say "costs" in Spanish

English → Spanish

gastos

/GAS-tos//ˈɡastos/

nounA1general
Use 'gastos' when referring to the general concept of money spent or expenditures, especially in personal finance or business contexts.
A simple illustration showing a stack of colorful paper money and coins resting next to a long, unrolled paper receipt.

Examples

Necesito anotar todos mis gastos para hacer un presupuesto.

I need to write down all my expenses to make a budget.

¿Quién cubre los gastos de envío del paquete?

Who covers the shipping costs for the package?

Los gastos fijos (como el alquiler y las cuentas) son la mayor parte de nuestro presupuesto mensual.

Fixed expenses (like rent and bills) are the largest part of our monthly budget.

It's Almost Always Plural

Even when talking about a general category of spending, 'gastos' is usually plural, much like how we say 'expenses' in English, not 'expense'.

Masculine Noun

Since 'gastos' is a masculine plural noun, any words describing it must also be masculine and plural: 'los altos gastos' (the high expenses).

Confusing Singular vs. Plural

Mistake: “Using 'el gasto' when referring to general costs. (Example: 'El gasto de la empresa es alto.')”

Correction: Use the plural 'los gastos' for general financial output. (Correction: 'Los gastos de la empresa son altos.') The singular 'gasto' usually refers to one specific item or action of spending.

precios

PREH-see-ohs (or PREH-thee-ohs in Spain)/ˈpɾe.θjos/

nounA1general
Use 'precios' specifically when talking about the amount of money a particular product or service is being sold for; it refers to the price tag.
A simple illustration showing a bright red apple resting on a wooden surface next to a short, neat stack of gold coins, symbolizing the cost or price of the item.

Examples

Los precios en el supermercado están muy altos este mes.

The prices at the supermarket are very high this month.

¿Puedes comparar los precios de estos dos ordenadores?

Can you compare the prices of these two computers?

La caída de los precios del petróleo afectó la economía global.

The fall in oil prices affected the global economy.

Masculine Plural

Since 'precio' is a masculine word, its plural form 'precios' always uses masculine articles like 'los' (the) or 'unos' (some).

Always Plural

When talking about the cost of many different items, you almost always use the plural 'precios', not the singular 'precio'.

Using the Feminine Article

Mistake: “Las precios son altos.”

Correction: Los precios son altos. Remember that 'precio' is a masculine word, so you must use 'los'.

Gastos vs. Precios

Learners often confuse 'gastos' and 'precios' by using 'gastos' when they mean the price of a single item. Remember, 'gastos' is about the overall spending, while 'precios' refers to the cost of specific goods or services.

Related Translations

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