What does it mean word for word?
The phrase Was kostet das? literally translates to "What costs that?"
Which one should you use?
While Was kostet das? is a standard way to ask for a price, you can also use Wie viel kostet das? to say "How much does that cost?"
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
If you want to be more formal, you can use Wie hoch ist der Preis? (How high is the price?) or Was ist der Preis? (What is the price?).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Southern Germany and Austria, you might hear Was macht das? used to ask for a price.
How does it change in a sentence?
If you are asking about multiple items, the verb changes from kostet to kosten and the pronoun changes from das to die, resulting in Was kosten die?
When do people say it?
The colloquial phrase Was macht das? (What does that make?) is a common way to ask for the total price, often used in shops or restaurants.
Did you know?
- In Germany, asking for the price of an item is often a prelude to a 'Pfand' transaction, where you pay a deposit for the bottle or crate that you get back upon returning it.
- In some traditional German markets, the answer to Was kostet das? may be given as a price 'per piece' (pro Stück) or 'per kilo' (pro Kilo) without the seller mentioning the unit first.
- The demonstrative pronoun das in this phrase is a descendant of the Proto-Germanic '*þat', which is the same root that gave English the word 'that'.
Examples in context
- Wie viel kostet das, bitte?How much does that cost, please?
- Wie viel kostet das in Euro?How much does that cost in euros?
- Was kostet das?How much does that cost?
Example conversation
Julia and Maximilian are at a street market.
- JuliaSchau mal, Maximilian! Was kostet das?Look, Maximilian! How much does it cost?
- MaximilianIch weiß es nicht, Julia.I don't know, Julia.
- JuliaIch frage einfach den Verkäufer.I will just ask the seller.
- MaximilianDas ist eine gute Idee.That is a good idea.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries das, kostet, was, CC BY-SA 4.0.
