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Das Abo kostet zwanzig Euro pro Monat.

Das Abo kostet zwanzig Euro pro Monat.
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Questions & Answers about Das Abo kostet zwanzig Euro pro Monat.

What is the word Abo, and is it short for something?
Abo is the common short form of Abonnement (“subscription”). Both are neuter: das Abo, das Abonnement. Plurals: die Abos, die Abonnements. In everyday German, Abo is far more common.
Why is it das Abo and not der or die?
Because Abo is grammatically neuter. Example cases: nominative das Abo, genitive des Abos, dative dem Abo, accusative das Abo. It’s capitalized here only because it begins the sentence.
Can I drop the article and say Abo kostet …?
No. Singular countable nouns in German normally need an article. Say Das Abo kostet … (specific) or Ein Abo kostet … (any subscription). To speak generally, you can use the plural without an article: Abos kosten …
Why kostet and not kosten?
The subject Das Abo is singular, so the verb is third-person singular: kostet. Present tense: ich koste, du kostest, er/sie/es kostet, wir kosten, ihr kostet, sie/Sie kosten.
Could I use ist instead of kostet?
Idiomatic German uses kosten (or the noun Preis): Das Abo kostet 20 Euro pro Monat. / Der Preis beträgt 20 Euro pro Monat. Saying Das Abo ist 20 Euro sounds off in standard German.
What exactly does pro Monat mean, and what about case?
pro means “per.” It’s a loan preposition usually used without an article: pro Monat, pro Person, pro Stunde. Without an article, you won’t see case endings; treat it as a fixed “per X” phrase.
Can I say im Monat or monatlich instead of pro Monat?

Yes:

  • im Monat (in + dem, dative) = “per month/each month”: 20 € im Monat.
  • monatlich (adverb/adjective) = “monthly”: Die Gebühr beträgt 20 € monatlich.
  • je Monat also works like “per month.”
Is the word order fixed? Can I move pro Monat or zwanzig Euro?

You can reorder for emphasis as long as the verb stays second:

  • Pro Monat kostet das Abo zwanzig Euro.
  • Zwanzig Euro kostet das Abo pro Monat.
  • Das Abo kostet pro Monat zwanzig Euro.
Why is it zwanzig Euro and not zwanzig Euros?
After numerals, German typically uses the unchanged form: zwanzig Euro. Euros also exists and is acceptable, but it’s less common in neutral/formal German and avoided in official contexts. Similarly, both Cent and Cents are used.
Where does the euro symbol go in German?
After the number with a space: 20 €. German uses a comma for decimals and a dot for thousands: 1.299,50 €.
What case is zwanzig Euro here?
Accusative object of kosten. The verb can even take two accusatives: Das Abo kostet mich zwanzig Euro.
How do I pronounce the sentence?

One clear option (IPA): [das ˈaːbo ˈkɔstət ˈtsvantsɪç ˈɔʏ̯ʁo pʁoː ˈmoːnat]. Tips:

  • z = [ts] (as in “cats”) in zwanzig.
  • w = [v] in zwanzig.
  • eu = [ɔʏ] like “oy” in Euro.
  • Final -ig often sounds like [ɪç] in zwanzig.