kosta means "to cost." It is a regular Group 1 verb, and the one thing to internalize is that it takes the price directly — no preposition, no "for," no "of." Det kostar hundra kronor ("It costs a hundred kronor"). Master the everyday question Vad kostar det? and you can shop anywhere in Sweden.
Principal parts
| Infinitive | Present | Preteritum (past) | Supine | Imperative | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| kosta | kostar | kostade | kostat | (kosta, rare) | Group 1 |
Regular Group 1: present kostar, past kostade (the full -ade), supine kostat. The imperative exists in form but is rarely used — you don't normally command something to cost. kosta is most often used in the third person, since prices, not people, do the costing.
Use 1: stating a price — no preposition
The amount follows the verb directly. English "cost" works the same way ("It cost ten dollars"), so the structure is familiar — just don't slip a preposition in. This makes kosta one of the friendliest verbs for an English speaker: the syntax maps one-to-one, and the only adjustment is the currency. Note too that the subject is usually the thing being priced (biljetten kostar..., "the ticket costs..."), not the person paying.
Det kostar hundra kronor.
It costs a hundred kronor. kostar + the amount, no preposition at all.
Biljetten kostar tvåhundra kronor.
The ticket costs two hundred kronor. kostar — present, the price follows bare.
Tröjan kostade nästan tusen kronor.
The jumper cost almost a thousand kronor. kostade — the regular Group 1 past.
Resan har kostat oss mycket pengar.
The trip has cost us a lot of money. har kostat — perfect; note the person (oss) comes before the amount.
Use 2: the question Vad kostar det?
The single most useful sentence built on kosta is Vad kostar det? — "How much is it?" (literally "What does it cost?"). Swedish uses vad ("what"), not hur mycket ("how much"), in this fixed question — a small but telling difference, since an English speaker's instinct is to translate "how much" word for word. Both Vad kostar det? and Hur mycket kostar det? are correct, but the short vad version is what you'll actually hear at the till, and it's the one to keep on the tip of your tongue.
Vad kostar det? — Det kostar femtio kronor.
How much is it? — It's fifty kronor. Vad kostar det? is the standard 'how much' question.
Hur mycket kostar den här jackan?
How much does this jacket cost? hur mycket also works, especially with a named item.
Vad kostade middagen igår?
How much was dinner yesterday? kostade — the same question in the past.
A figurative cost
kosta isn't only about money — like English "cost," it stretches to anything an action costs you: effort, time, even a life. The structure stays the same, with the price (whatever its currency) following directly.
Det kostade honom jobbet.
It cost him his job. kostade + person + the thing lost — a figurative cost.
Segern kostade laget mycket kraft.
The victory cost the team a lot of effort. cost in the sense of effort, not money.
Use 3: kosta på sig — to treat oneself
A useful idiom: kosta på sig means "to treat oneself" / "to splash out" — to allow yourself an expense you might otherwise skip.
Vi kostade på oss en flaska champagne.
We treated ourselves to a bottle of champagne. kosta på sig — 'splash out / treat oneself'.
Du borde kosta på dig en semester.
You should treat yourself to a holiday. kosta på dig — second-person form of the idiom.
Common Mistakes
❌ Det kostar för hundra kronor.
Wrong — kosta takes the amount directly, with no preposition. Drop the för.
✅ Det kostar hundra kronor.
It costs a hundred kronor.
❌ Hur mycket är det? (when asking a price)
Understandable but unidiomatic for a price — Swedes ask Vad kostar det?
✅ Vad kostar det?
How much is it?
❌ Tröjan kostde mycket.
Incorrect — Group 1 takes the full -ade: kostade, not *kostde.
✅ Tröjan kostade mycket.
The jumper cost a lot.
❌ Det kostar av tio euro.
Wrong — no preposition before the amount: Det kostar tio euro.
✅ Det kostar tio euro.
It costs ten euros.
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