How much is it?
Use this when the object you're asking about is clear to both you and the seller. It's a more direct 'How much is it?'
A slightly more formal way to ask, common in shops. It translates literally to 'What price does it have?'
Another very common alternative, literally 'How much is it worth?'. Used interchangeably with '¿Cuánto cuesta?' in many regions, especially Spain.
Common in markets, this means 'What does it come out to?'. It's a casual way to ask for the final price.
Excuse me, how much does this t-shirt cost?
I want a coffee to go. How much is it?
Good afternoon. What is the price of the shoes?
Sir, how much are two kilos of tomatoes?
I like that one. What does it come out to?
In Spain, '¿Cuánto vale?' is often more common than '¿Cuánto cuesta?'. Both are perfectly understood, but 'vale' is a very frequent choice.
'¿Cuánto cuesta?' and '¿Cuánto es?' are the standard. In local markets (*mercados*), you will frequently hear the more colloquial '¿En cuánto sale?' or simply '¿A cómo?' when asking for the price of produce (e.g., '¿A cómo el kilo de limones?').
'¿Cuánto vale?' and '¿Qué precio tiene?' are extremely common, used just as much as '¿Cuánto cuesta?'.
While '¿Cuánto cuesta?' is used, '¿Cuánto sale?' is very widespread in both countries for asking for the price of goods and services.
Using 'cómo mucho' instead of 'cuánto'. For example, saying '¿Cómo mucho cuesta?' — This is a direct translation from English 'how much' that doesn't work in Spanish. The correct question word for quantity or price is 'cuánto'. Always use '¿Cuánto cuesta?'
Forgetting to change the verb for plural items. For example, saying '¿Cuánto cuesta los zapatos?' — The verb 'costar' must agree with the noun. For a single item, use 'cuesta' (it costs). For multiple items, use 'cuestan' (they cost). The correct form is '¿Cuánto cuestan los zapatos?'
Confusing 'cuesta' (it costs) with 'costa' (coast). Saying '¿Cuánto costa?' is a common pronunciation error. — Be sure to pronounce the 'ue' sound clearly: KWESS-tah. 'Costa' (KOHS-tah) is a completely different word meaning 'coast' or 'seashore'.
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