Questions & Answers about Die Kosten sind zu hoch.
Because hoch here is a predicative adjective following the linking verb sein. Predicative adjectives remain uninflected (no case/gender/number ending).
- Predicative: Die Kosten sind hoch.
- Attributive (adjective before a noun), however, does take endings: die hohen Kosten.
Here zu is an adverb meaning “too” or “excessively.” It always directly precedes the adjective it modifies:
- zu hoch, zu klein, zu teuer
It indicates that the adjective describes something beyond an acceptable limit.
Because the subject die Kosten is plural. You match the verb number to the subject.
- Singular example: Der Preis ist zu hoch.
- Plural example: Die Kosten sind zu hoch.
In everyday spoken and written German you normally include the article: Die Kosten sind zu hoch.
Dropping it (Kosten sind zu hoch) is grammatically possible but sounds like a headline, bullet point, or a very terse general statement.
Yes. You can use intensifiers before zu:
- Die Kosten sind sehr hoch. (very high)
- Die Kosten sind viel zu hoch. (much too high)
so hoch means “so high” but doesn’t carry the sense of “too.” It often expresses surprise or emphasis:
- Die Kosten sind so hoch! (Wow, the costs are so high!)
To convey “too high,” you must use zu hoch.
Use an attributive adjective with weak declension: die zu hohen Kosten.
Here zu is part of the adjective phrase zu hohen, and hohen takes the plural nominative weak ending –en.