Using Costar to mean difficult in a question

Question

Hi! Can someone help me use the verb Costar in a question (meaning something is difficult or hard.) For example, how do you say "Was it difficult to start this project?" and "What do you find difficult about this project?" using the verb Costar.

Thank you!

Good question! - billygoat, Sep 23, 2017

and welcome to the forum :) - billygoat, Sep 23, 2017

If you are new to Spanish note the following - you can make a question just by adding question marks at start and finish. The way costar is used in your construction is as bigots says like gustar 3rd person + pronoun. It costs me - it is difficult for me - Mardle, Sep 23, 2017

It is also a stem changing verb so 3rd person present = cuesta not Costa which is coast. - Mardle, Sep 23, 2017

Should be Bigote my autocorrect sneaks in. - Mardle, Sep 23, 2017

Answer 1

In Mexico we say it a little differently, ie: ¿Te costó (mucho) trabajo iniciar este projecto? / ¿Qué es lo que te cuesta trabajo de este projecto?

"Costarle trabajo a alguien" is a very common term.

Answer 2

JulianChivi added new information and I will continue here because it could be a little long. Julian made me think because we also use costar trabajo

In fact we could use costar trabajo, costar esfuerzo, costar dedicación and probably more that I can't think of now. All of them indicate it's difficult .

Examples.

1 El francés me cuesta. French is difficult for me.
2 El francés me cuesta mucho.
3 El francés me cuesta trabajo.
4 El francés me cuesta esfuerzo.
5 El francés me cuesta dedicación . 6 El francés me cuesta sangre, sudor y lágrimas ( maybe Churchill said it lol)

all the above mean it is difficult but of course with a certain nuance

Of course in number one or two if it is not in a context it could mean also that the price of your French classes is very high.

Answer 3

Very interesting question. Never thought about it. We use costar with this
meaning a lot.

¿Te costó empezar este proyecto?

¿Qué te cuesta de este proyecto?

Examples.

La matemática me cuesta.
Voy a ir al médico porque me cuesta dormir de noche.
El problema es tan difícil que nos cuesta solucionarlo.
Es muy inteligente y no le cuesta nada entender las cosas más difíciles.
Yo pensé que como eres ingeniero, no te va a costar mucho explicarme este tema de física.
etc.

The meaning here Is to be difficult - Polenta, Sep 23, 2017

There Is another meaning. It Is "to cost". For examplec"Los zapatos cuestan 20 dólares. - Polenta, Sep 23, 2017

Thank you. I am teaching myself Spanish and found a bunch of statements using Costar with this meaning but not questions. I was wondering if it isn't used in that form as a question. - alw2, Sep 23, 2017

Yes, I have you two question, affirmative and negativo. It Is widely used. Very clever question. - Polenta, Sep 23, 2017

Fantastic answer, thank you, Polenta. Although I don't always reply I read lots of your posts. You help me so much. Thanks again :) - billygoat, Sep 23, 2017

wow. a ti billygoat - polenta1, Sep 23, 2017

Answer 4

Alw2, this sounds like homework and I can’t do that for you. Give it a try and we will help you.

That being said, think of “costar” as “ to cost”. So you work for a McDonald’s in Seattle for $15 an hour and you have to take off work on Wednesday to make a 13:00 doctor’s appointment. Between the appointment and travel time it’s going to cost you three hours wages.

“What does it cost you (in wages) to go to the doctor?” An example.

“Joe, ¿do you have a problem believing that?” Another example. The construction would be similar to “gustarle” and is a better answer to your question.

I hope this helps. I am not a native Spanish speaker.

This actually isn't homework. Just teaching myself Spanish! - alw2, Sep 23, 2017

Cool! I never considered that possibility. - DonBigoteDeLaLancha, Sep 23, 2017