Quanto costa?
/ˈkwan.to ˈkɔs.ta/word by word
The English phrase "how much does it cost?" is translated into Italian as Quanto costa?
Quanto costa? is a question used to ask for the price of an item.
Which one should you use?
The singular Quanto costa? is used for one item, while the plural Quanto costano? is used for multiple items.
How does it change in a sentence?
You can add questo (this) or quello (that) after the verb to specify the object you are pointing at, such as in Quanto costa questo? Use the plural form Quanto costano? if you are asking about the price of multiple items.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of Quanto costa? is /ˈkwan.to ˈkɔs.ta/. It has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- In Italy, if you ask Quanto costa? in a high-end boutique or gallery, you might be seen as too blunt. To be more polite, shoppers often use Quanto viene?, which literally translates to 'How much does it come to?'
- While costa is the verb for 'costs', the same word is also the Italian noun for 'rib'. This usage is derived from the Latin word for the side of the body.
- The word quanto is a direct relative of the English word 'quantum'. Both originate from the Latin word quantus meaning 'how much' or 'how great'.
Examples in context
- Buongiorno, quanto costa questa borsa?Good morning, how much does this bag cost?
- Costa centoventi euro.It costs 120 euros.
- Scusi, quanto viene il biglietto?Excuse me, how much is the ticket?
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Martina are at a street market.
- LorenzoGuarda questo quadro, Martina!Look at this painting, Martina!
- MartinaÈ bellissimo! Quanto costa?It is beautiful! How much does it cost?
- LorenzoCosta venti euro.It costs twenty euros.
- MartinaLo prendo subito.I will take it right away.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (quanto, costa) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries costa, quanto, CC BY-SA 4.0.
