pagué/pagé

Question

I want to say, "I paid an arm and a leg for my mobile phone." Can I say, "(Yo) pagué un ojo de la cara por mi teléfono móvil."?

Should the verb be "pagé," and should "por" be something else?

How can I say, "I paid an arm and a leg for...."

Answer 1

It is pagué, because the verb is pagar, and you need to retain the hard g sound. Since it is a rule that g, in Spanish, when followed by -e or -i, is pronounced just like j (closest sound in English is the h sound), we need to add a u in between, so that you will be saying "pa-GEH" (correct) instead of "pa-HEH" (incorrect).

Good to see you here, SD Kabayan :) - SpanishPal, Aug 11, 2011

Right, Deanski! :) - GuitarWarrior, Aug 11, 2011

Hola kabayan.:) Thanks GW :) - Deanski, Aug 11, 2011

thank you very much. that helps a lot. - MrSillyInc, Aug 12, 2011

Answer 2

Here's something slightly different.

Mi teléfono móvil me costó un ojo de la cara.

My cellphone cost me an arm and a leg.

My cellphone cost me an eye out of the face.

"cost" not "costed" - gintar77, Aug 11, 2011

Thanks Gintar :) - GuitarWarrior, Aug 11, 2011

thanks for the alternative. - MrSillyInc, Aug 12, 2011

Answer 3

Pagué un ojo de la cara por mi teléfono móvil