costar
transitive verb
1 (en dinero) to cost
la lámpara cuesta 45 euros the lamp is o costs 45 euros; ¿cuánto te ha costado el libro? how much did you pay for the book?; how much did the book cost (you)?; ¿cuánto cuesta este libro? how much is this book?; how much does this book cost?
el porte no me ha costado nada it didn't cost me anything to have it delivered; the delivery didn't cost me anything; reparar el tejado me ha costado un dineral it cost me a fortune to have the roof mended
costar un ojo de la cara to cost an arm and a leg (familiar)
2 (en esfuerzo, tiempo)
me ha costado lo mío llegar adonde he llegado it's taken a lot to get where I am; cada traducción nos cuesta muchas horas de trabajo each translation takes us many hours of work
costar trabajo
cuesta poco trabajo ser amable it doesn't take much to be pleasant; it's not so hard to be pleasant; ¿te ha costado trabajo encontrar la casa? did you have trouble finding the house?
cueste lo que cueste whatever it takes
costar Dios y ayuda
me costó Dios y ayuda convencerla I had a hard job o time persuading her
3 (en consecuencias) to cost
ese error te costará el puesto that mistake will cost you your job o will lose you your job; el accidente por poco le cuesta la vida the accident nearly cost him his life; la violación le costó doce años de cárcel the rape earned him twelve years in prison; he got twelve years in prison for the rape
intransitive verb
2 (en dificultad) to be hard; be difficult
al principio cuesta, pero luego se hace más fácil it's hard o difficult at first but then it gets easier; cuesta reconocerlo, pero es verdad it's hard o difficult to admit it, but it's true
costar a algn
lo que más me cuesta es el inglés the thing I find hardest o most difficult is English
me cuesta creer que seas hermano suyo I find it hard o difficult to believe that you are his brother
¿por qué no me llamas? ¡si no te cuesta nada! why don't you give me a call? it's not so hard o difficult!; no me cuesta nada llevarte it's no trouble to give you a lift
