Kosten
/ˈkɔstn̩/
The German word for 'costs' is Kosten.
Kosten refers to the amount of money that must be paid to buy or do something.
Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish between the noun Kosten and the verb kosten. When written with a lowercase 'k', kosten means 'to cost'.
How does it change in a sentence?
It is almost always used with the definite article die to say 'the costs'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkɔstn̩/
Did you know?
- The verb kosten has a second, entirely different meaning: 'to taste'. If a host asks Möchten Sie mal kosten?, they are inviting you to sample the food, not asking about the price.
- The etymological root of kosten comes from a Latin verb meaning 'to stand together' or 'to be fixed', reflecting the idea of a price being firmly established.
- The German word Kost can refer to 'food' or 'sustenance' rather than money. This is why a 'board and lodging' arrangement is called Kost und Logis.
Examples in context
- Wie können wir die kosten senken?How can we cut costs?This sentence is useful for discussing ways to reduce the Kosten.Tatoeba #12459359 by Waldelfe, translation #8945314 by CK
- Flitterwochen in Kanada kosten viel Geld.A honeymoon in Canada costs a lot of money.This sentence shows how a honeymoon can Kosten a lot of money.Tatoeba #927585 by Sudajaengi, translation #63628 by CN
- Sie versuchen, die Kosten niedrig zu halten.They are trying to keep costs down.This sentence is useful for discussing the goal of keeping Kosten low.Tatoeba #709686 by Manfredo, translation #305615 by CC
- Die Kosten für das Projekt sind höher als erwartetThe costs for the project are higher than expected
- Die monatlichen Ausgaben für Miete und Lebensmittel sind angestiegenThe monthly expenses for rent and groceries have increased
- Der Kostenaufwand für den Bau des neuen Gebäudes beträgt mehrere Millionen EuroThe cost investment for the construction of the new building amounts to several million euros
- Wie viel Geld kostet der Eintritt ins Kino?How much money does the cinema ticket cost?
- Wie viel Spesen fallen für die Geschäftsreise an?How much do the expenses for the business trip amount to?
- Die Kosten für mein Auto sind zu hoch.The costs for my car are too high.
- Kannst du mir sagen, wie viel Geld das Hotelzimmer kostet?Can you tell me how much money the hotel room costs?
- Ich mache mir Sorgen über meine monatlichen Ausgaben.I'm worried about my monthly expenses.
- Hast du genug Schotter für das neue Handy?Do you have enough money for the new cellphone?
- Der Kostenaufwand für diese Veranstaltung ist enorm.The cost investment for this event is enormous.
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas and Hannah are discussing their upcoming vacation budget.
- LukasHannah, wie hoch sind die Kosten für das Hotel?Hannah, how high are the costs for the hotel?
- HannahDie Kosten sind leider etwas höher als gedacht.The costs are unfortunately a bit higher than expected.
- LukasDas ist ein Problem für unser Budget.That is a problem for our budget.
- HannahIch suche jetzt nach einer günstigeren Option.I am looking for a cheaper option now.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Kosten, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Kosten, kosten, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
