Das ist teuer.

That is expensive.

Breakdown of Das ist teuer.

• sein: to be
• teuer: expensive
• das: that

Questions & Answers about Das ist teuer.

What is the function of das in this sentence, and how is it different from the article das?

In Das ist teuer, das is a demonstrative pronoun meaning “that” or “this,” referring to something previously mentioned or pointed at. It stands on its own and takes the place of a noun.
By contrast, the definite article das appears directly before a neuter noun (e.g. das Buch) and cannot stand alone.

Why doesn’t the adjective teuer have an ending like teures or teurem?

Because teuer here is a predicative adjective—used after the verb sein (to be)—and predicative adjectives in German are not inflected. They always remain in their base form.
Examples:

• Der Pullover ist teuer.
• Die Wohnung ist groß.
  If you place an adjective directly before a noun (attributive), it must take an ending:
• ein teurer Pullover
• eine große Wohnung

Can I use es instead of das, and what’s the difference between Das ist teuer and Es ist teuer?

Yes, you can say Es ist teuer, which simply means “It is expensive.” Use es as a general or “dummy” subject when you’re not pointing at something specific.
Das ist teuer (“That is expensive”) sounds more demonstrative or specific—you’re usually indicating a particular item.

How do you pronounce Das ist teuer?