Costar Conjugation | How to Conjugate Costar in Spanish

Costar means “to cost.” You will learn its o-to-ue stem change, the common price and difficulty constructions, and why many everyday sentences naturally use third-person forms even though the full paradigm is morphologically available.

Costar conjugation at a glance

Verb type: Irregular. Linguistically, costar is an -AR stem-changing verb. Stressed present forms use cuest-, as in cuesta — “it costs” — and cuestan — “they cost,” while nosotros/nosotras costamos — “we cost” — and vosotros/vosotras costáis — “you all cost” — keep cost-.

Costar gerund, past participle, and infinitive

The infinitive names the verb, the gerund supports progressive constructions, and the past participle combines with haber — “to have” as an auxiliary — in compound forms. With haber, the participle remains unchanged for gender and number.

Form	Spanish	Natural English guide
Infinitive	costar	to cost
Gerund	costando	costing
Past participle	costado	cost

Costar meaning and essential uses

Costar — “to cost” — commonly takes the item as grammatical subject and the price as its complement: El libro cuesta veinte euros. — “The book costs twenty euros.”

It also expresses difficulty with an indirect-object experiencer: Me cuesta entenderlo. — “I find it difficult to understand it.” In this construction, the thing or action that is difficult controls singular or plural agreement.

Costar irregular conjugation patterns

In stressed present indicative forms, o → ue: cuesto — “I cost,” cuestas — “you cost,” cuesta — “it costs,” and cuestan — “they cost.” Nosotros/nosotras costamos — “we cost” — and vosotros/vosotras costáis — “you all cost” — keep o. Present subjunctive follows the same stress distribution: cueste / cuesten but costemos / costéis. Other tense families, gerund costando — “costing,” and participle costado — “cost” — use the regular cost- stem.

Costar indicative and periphrastic conjugations

Costar present tense conjugation

Present indicative (el presente de indicativo) — Use it for present actions, habits, facts, and current states. Apply the verb-specific pattern described above to the present endings.

Pronoun and English meaning	Spanish	Natural English guide
Yo — I	cuesto	I cost
Tú — you, singular informal	cuestas	you cost
Él / Ella / Usted — he / she / you, singular formal	cuesta	he / she costs; you cost (formal)
Nosotros / Nosotras — we	costamos	we cost
Vosotros / Vosotras — you, plural informal, mainly Spain	costáis	you cost (plural)
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes — they / you, plural	cuestan	they cost; you cost (plural)

• La entrada cuesta treinta euros. — The ticket costs thirty euros.

Costar preterite conjugation

Preterite (el pretérito perfecto simple / pretérito indefinido) — Use it for completed or bounded past events. The table shows the verified preterite forms for this verb.

Pronoun and English meaning	Spanish	Natural English guide
Yo — I	costé	I cost
Tú — you, singular informal	costaste	you cost
Él / Ella / Usted — he / she / you, singular formal	costó	he / she cost; you cost (formal)
Nosotros / Nosotras — we	costamos	we cost
Vosotros / Vosotras — you, plural informal, mainly Spain	costasteis	you cost (plural)
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes — they / you, plural	costaron	they cost; you cost (plural)

• La reparación costó mucho dinero. — The repair cost a lot of money.

Costar imperfect conjugation

Imperfect (el pretérito imperfecto) — Use it for past habits, background descriptions, and situations viewed as ongoing. This verb uses the regular imperfect ending family.

Pronoun and English meaning	Spanish	Natural English guide
Yo — I	costaba	I used to cost / was costing
Tú — you, singular informal	costabas	you used to cost / were costing
Él / Ella / Usted — he / she / you, singular formal	costaba	he / she used to cost / was costing; you used to cost / were costing (formal)
Nosotros / Nosotras — we	costábamos	we used to cost / were costing
Vosotros / Vosotras — you, plural informal, mainly Spain	costabais	you used to cost / were costing (plural)
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes — they / you, plural	costaban	they used to cost / were costing; you used to cost / were costing (plural)

• Antes este servicio costaba menos. — This service used to cost less.

Costar present progressive

Present progressive — This verbal periphrasis focuses on an action or process in progress. Form it with a present form of estar — “to be” — plus the verified gerund.

Pronoun and English meaning	Spanish	Natural English guide
Yo — I	estoy costando	I am costing
Tú — you, singular informal	estás costando	you are costing
Él / Ella / Usted — he / she / you, singular formal	está costando	he / she is costing; you are costing (formal)
Nosotros / Nosotras — we	estamos costando	we are costing
Vosotros / Vosotras — you, plural informal, mainly Spain	estáis costando	you are costing (plural)
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes — they / you, plural	están costando	they are costing; you are costing (plural)

• La obra está costando más de lo previsto. — The project is costing more than expected.

Costar near future conjugation

Near future — This verbal periphrasis expresses a plan, intention, or expected event. Form it with a present form of ir — “to go” — plus a — “to” — and the infinitive.

Pronoun and English meaning	Spanish	Natural English guide
Yo — I	voy a costar	I am going to cost
Tú — you, singular informal	vas a costar	you are going to cost
Él / Ella / Usted — he / she / you, singular formal	va a costar	he / she is going to cost; you are going to cost (formal)
Nosotros / Nosotras — we	vamos a costar	we are going to cost
Vosotros / Vosotras — you, plural informal, mainly Spain	vais a costar	you are going to cost (plural)
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes — they / you, plural	van a costar	they are going to cost; you are going to cost (plural)

• La reparación va a costar bastante. — The repair is going to cost quite a lot.

Costar future tense conjugation

Simple future (el futuro simple) — Use it for future reference and, where context supports it, probability. The endings attach to the full infinitive.

Pronoun and English meaning	Spanish	Natural English guide
Yo — I	costaré	I will cost
Tú — you, singular informal	costarás	you will cost
Él / Ella / Usted — he / she / you, singular formal	costará	he / she will cost; you will cost (formal)
Nosotros / Nosotras — we	costaremos	we will cost
Vosotros / Vosotras — you, plural informal, mainly Spain	costaréis	you will cost (plural)
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes — they / you, plural	costarán	they will cost; you will cost (plural)

• El viaje costará menos en temporada baja. — The trip will cost less in the low season.

Costar conditional conjugation

Conditional (el condicional simple) — Use it for hypothetical results, softened statements, or other conditional meanings supported by context. The endings attach to the full infinitive.

Pronoun and English meaning	Spanish	Natural English guide
Yo — I	costaría	I would cost
Tú — you, singular informal	costarías	you would cost
Él / Ella / Usted — he / she / you, singular formal	costaría	he / she would cost; you would cost (formal)
Nosotros / Nosotras — we	costaríamos	we would cost
Vosotros / Vosotras — you, plural informal, mainly Spain	costaríais	you would cost (plural)
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes — they / you, plural	costarían	they would cost; you would cost (plural)

• Con descuento costaría cincuenta euros. — With a discount it would cost fifty euros.

Costar present perfect conjugation

Present perfect (el pretérito perfecto compuesto) — Form it with present haber — “to have” as an auxiliary — plus the past participle. The participle is costado — “cost.”

Pronoun and English meaning	Spanish	Natural English guide
Yo — I	he costado	I have cost
Tú — you, singular informal	has costado	you have cost
Él / Ella / Usted — he / she / you, singular formal	ha costado	he / she has cost; you have cost (formal)
Nosotros / Nosotras — we	hemos costado	we have cost
Vosotros / Vosotras — you, plural informal, mainly Spain	habéis costado	you have cost (plural)
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes — they / you, plural	han costado	they have cost; you have cost (plural)

• La reparación ha costado más de lo esperado. — The repair has cost more than expected.

Costar past perfect conjugation

Past perfect (el pretérito pluscuamperfecto) — Use it for an event completed before another past reference point. The participle is costado — “cost.”

Pronoun and English meaning	Spanish	Natural English guide
Yo — I	había costado	I had cost
Tú — you, singular informal	habías costado	you had cost
Él / Ella / Usted — he / she / you, singular formal	había costado	he / she had cost; you had cost (formal)
Nosotros / Nosotras — we	habíamos costado	we had cost
Vosotros / Vosotras — you, plural informal, mainly Spain	habíais costado	you had cost (plural)
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes — they / you, plural	habían costado	they had cost; you had cost (plural)

• El proyecto había costado demasiado dinero. — The project had cost too much money.

Costar future perfect conjugation

Future perfect (el futuro perfecto) — Use it for an event expected to be completed before a future reference point. The participle is costado — “cost.”

Pronoun and English meaning	Spanish	Natural English guide
Yo — I	habré costado	I will have cost
Tú — you, singular informal	habrás costado	you will have cost
Él / Ella / Usted — he / she / you, singular formal	habrá costado	he / she will have cost; you will have cost (formal)
Nosotros / Nosotras — we	habremos costado	we will have cost
Vosotros / Vosotras — you, plural informal, mainly Spain	habréis costado	you will have cost (plural)
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes — they / you, plural	habrán costado	they will have cost; you will have cost (plural)

• Para entonces la obra habrá costado millones. — By then the project will have cost millions.

Costar conditional perfect conjugation

Conditional perfect (el condicional compuesto) — Use it for a hypothetical completed outcome. The participle is costado — “cost.”

Pronoun and English meaning	Spanish	Natural English guide
Yo — I	habría costado	I would have cost
Tú — you, singular informal	habrías costado	you would have cost
Él / Ella / Usted — he / she / you, singular formal	habría costado	he / she would have cost; you would have cost (formal)
Nosotros / Nosotras — we	habríamos costado	we would have cost
Vosotros / Vosotras — you, plural informal, mainly Spain	habríais costado	you would have cost (plural)
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes — they / you, plural	habrían costado	they would have cost; you would have cost (plural)

• Sin el descuento habría costado más. — Without the discount it would have cost more.

Costar subjunctive conjugations

Costar present subjunctive conjugation

Present subjunctive (el presente de subjuntivo) — Use it in subordinate contexts involving wishes, influence, emotion, doubt or denial, evaluation, necessity, possibility, or non-specific reference. The table shows this verb’s verified present-subjunctive family.

Pronoun and English meaning	Spanish	Natural English guide
Yo — I	cueste	that I cost
Tú — you, singular informal	cuestes	that you cost
Él / Ella / Usted — he / she / you, singular formal	cueste	that he / she cost; that you cost (formal)
Nosotros / Nosotras — we	costemos	that we cost
Vosotros / Vosotras — you, plural informal, mainly Spain	costéis	that you cost (plural)
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes — they / you, plural	cuesten	that they cost; that you cost (plural)

• Espero que no cueste demasiado. — I hope it does not cost too much.

Costar imperfect subjunctive conjugation

Imperfect subjunctive (el imperfecto de subjuntivo) — The main table uses the -ra series. The accepted -se series is also valid in many contexts and is demonstrated in the examples; the two series should not be treated as mechanically interchangeable in every special construction.

Pronoun and English meaning	Spanish	Natural English guide
Yo — I	costara	that I cost
Tú — you, singular informal	costaras	that you cost
Él / Ella / Usted — he / she / you, singular formal	costara	that he / she cost; that you cost (formal)
Nosotros / Nosotras — we	costáramos	that we cost
Vosotros / Vosotras — you, plural informal, mainly Spain	costarais	that you cost (plural)
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes — they / you, plural	costaran	that they cost; that you cost (plural)

• Queríamos que costara menos. — We wanted it to cost less.
• Prefería que costase menos el envío. — She preferred the shipping to cost less.

Costar future subjunctive conjugation

Future subjunctive (el futuro de subjuntivo) — Rare in modern everyday Spanish. It survives mainly in formal, legal, proverbial, literary, or historical contexts and is included here as a reference system.

Pronoun and English meaning	Spanish	Natural English guide
Yo — I	costare	if / when I should cost
Tú — you, singular informal	costares	if / when you should cost
Él / Ella / Usted — he / she / you, singular formal	costare	if / when he / she should cost; if / when you should cost (formal)
Nosotros / Nosotras — we	costáremos	if / when we should cost
Vosotros / Vosotras — you, plural informal, mainly Spain	costareis	if / when you should cost (plural)
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes — they / you, plural	costaren	if / when they should cost; if / when you should cost (plural)

• Si el servicio costare más de lo acordado, deberá notificarse. — If the service should cost more than agreed, it must be reported.

Costar present perfect subjunctive conjugation

Present perfect subjunctive (el pretérito perfecto de subjuntivo) — Use it when a completed event appears inside a present- or future-oriented subjunctive environment. Form it with the corresponding subjunctive form of haber — “to have” as an auxiliary — plus costado — “cost.”

Pronoun and English meaning	Spanish	Natural English guide
Yo — I	haya costado	that I have cost
Tú — you, singular informal	hayas costado	that you have cost
Él / Ella / Usted — he / she / you, singular formal	haya costado	that he / she has cost; that you have cost (formal)
Nosotros / Nosotras — we	hayamos costado	that we have cost
Vosotros / Vosotras — you, plural informal, mainly Spain	hayáis costado	that you have cost (plural)
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes — they / you, plural	hayan costado	that they have cost; that you have cost (plural)

• Dudo que haya costado tanto. — I doubt that it has cost that much.

Costar past perfect subjunctive conjugation

Past perfect subjunctive (el pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo) — The main table uses hubiera; hubiese is an accepted auxiliary alternative in many contexts and appears in an example below. Form it with the corresponding subjunctive form of haber — “to have” as an auxiliary — plus costado — “cost.”

Pronoun and English meaning	Spanish	Natural English guide
Yo — I	hubiera costado	that I had cost
Tú — you, singular informal	hubieras costado	that you had cost
Él / Ella / Usted — he / she / you, singular formal	hubiera costado	that he / she had cost; that you had cost (formal)
Nosotros / Nosotras — we	hubiéramos costado	that we had cost
Vosotros / Vosotras — you, plural informal, mainly Spain	hubierais costado	that you had cost (plural)
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes — they / you, plural	hubieran costado	that they had cost; that you had cost (plural)

• Si hubiera costado menos, lo habríamos comprado. — If it had cost less, we would have bought it.
• Si hubiese costado más, habríamos cancelado el pedido. — If it had cost more, we would have canceled the order.

Costar future perfect subjunctive conjugation

Future perfect subjunctive (el futuro perfecto de subjuntivo) — Rare in modern everyday Spanish. It is a reference form used mainly in formal, legal, literary, or historical contexts. Form it with the corresponding subjunctive form of haber — “to have” as an auxiliary — plus costado — “cost.”

Pronoun and English meaning	Spanish	Natural English guide
Yo — I	hubiere costado	if / when I should have cost
Tú — you, singular informal	hubieres costado	if / when you should have cost
Él / Ella / Usted — he / she / you, singular formal	hubiere costado	if / when he / she should have cost; if / when you should have cost (formal)
Nosotros / Nosotras — we	hubiéremos costado	if / when we should have cost
Vosotros / Vosotras — you, plural informal, mainly Spain	hubiereis costado	if / when you should have cost (plural)
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes — they / you, plural	hubieren costado	if / when they should have cost; if / when you should have cost (plural)

• Si hubiere costado más de lo autorizado, deberá justificarse. — If it should have cost more than authorized, it must be justified.

Costar imperative and commands

Commands address another person directly. Spanish uses different morphological sources depending on person and polarity; the nosotros/nosotras row is a present-subjunctive form used with exhortative “let’s…” value.

Costar affirmative commands

RAE/ASALE records the affirmative command forms shown below. Direct commands with the core price and difficulty meanings are uncommon, so treat this table mainly as morphological reference rather than as a high-frequency conversational pattern.

Pronoun and English meaning	Spanish	Natural English guide
Tú — you, singular informal	cuesta	cost
Usted — you, singular formal	cueste	cost (formal)
Nosotros / Nosotras — we; let’s…	costemos	let’s cost
Vosotros / Vosotras — you, plural informal, mainly Spain	costad	cost (plural, mainly Spain)
Ustedes — you, plural	cuesten	cost (plural)

• Cuesta menos en este ejercicio hipotético. — Cost less in this hypothetical exercise.

Costar negative commands

Negative command forms are likewise morphologically available but uncommon with the core meanings of costar. The example is explicitly hypothetical so the lesson does not imply ordinary command frequency.

Pronoun and English meaning	Spanish	Natural English guide
Tú — you, singular informal	no cuestes	do not cost
Usted — you, singular formal	no cueste	do not cost (formal)
Nosotros / Nosotras — we; let’s…	no costemos	let’s not cost
Vosotros / Vosotras — you, plural informal, mainly Spain	no costéis	do not cost (plural, mainly Spain)
Ustedes — you, plural	no cuesten	do not cost (plural)

• No cueste más de cien euros en este supuesto. — Do not cost more than one hundred euros in this hypothetical scenario.

Common constructions with Costar

These target-verb patterns show complements or sentence frames that materially affect how the conjugated verb is used.

• Costar veinte euros. — To cost twenty euros.
• Me cuesta entenderlo. — I find it difficult to understand it.
• Nos cuestan mucho estos cambios. — These changes are very difficult for us.

Example sentences with Costar

These examples reinforce the target verb across useful forms and contexts already explained in the lesson.

• Este libro cuesta veinte euros. — This book costs twenty euros.
• Las entradas costaron menos ayer. — The tickets cost less yesterday.
• Antes la gasolina costaba menos. — Gasoline used to cost less.
• Me cuesta recordar todos los nombres. — I find it difficult to remember all the names.
• El cambio nos ha costado mucho tiempo. — The change has cost us a lot of time.

Regional and usage notes for Costar

The core tables retain tú, usted, vosotros/vosotras, and ustedes for project comparability. Where voseo is common, present-indicative and affirmative-command forms may differ from the core tú forms; the examples below show the verified voseo forms without replacing the main paradigm.

• Vos costás más por hora en ese contrato. — You cost more per hour under that contract. (voseo)
• Costá menos en la simulación. — Cost less in the simulation. (affirmative vos command; reference use)

With costar, the core form choice is usually driven by the thing that has a price or causes difficulty. Remember the stressed cuest- forms, while cost- returns in unstressed present rows and the other tense families.