Πόσο κοστίζει αυτό;

How much does this cost?

Breakdown of Πόσο κοστίζει αυτό;

• αυτός: this
• πόσο: how much
• κοστίζω: to cost

Questions & Answers about Πόσο κοστίζει αυτό;

How do I pronounce Πόσο κοστίζει αυτό;?

• IPA: [ˈposo kosˈtizi afˈto]
• Rough guide: PO-so kos-TEE-zee af-TO
• Note: αυτό is pronounced with /af/ because αυ is before a voiceless consonant (τ).

What does each word do grammatically?

• Πόσο: interrogative adverb “how much”
• κοστίζει: 3rd person singular present of κοστίζω “to cost”
• αυτό: demonstrative pronoun “this” (neuter nominative singular, here the subject)

Is this formal, neutral, or casual?

Neutral and perfectly fine in shops. To soften/politeness:

• Συγγνώμη, πόσο κοστίζει αυτό; “Excuse me…”
• Πόσο κοστίζει αυτό, παρακαλώ; “please”

Are there more colloquial ways to ask the same thing?

Very common alternatives:

• Πόσο κάνει (αυτό);
• Πόσο πάει;
• Πόσο έχει;
• Πόσο το έχετε (αυτό); (to a shopkeeper)

Can I change the word order?

Yes. Greek allows flexible order:

• Αυτό πόσο κοστίζει; (emphasis on “this one”)
• You can also drop it when obvious: Πόσο κοστίζει; (if you’re clearly pointing)

When do I use αυτό vs αυτή vs αυτός?

Match the grammatical gender of the noun if you don’t name it:

• Masculine item: Αυτός πόσο κοστίζει;
• Feminine item: Αυτή πόσο κοστίζει;
• Neuter item: Αυτό πόσο κοστίζει; If you include the noun, use demonstrative + article + noun:
• αυτό το πουκάμισο (neuter), αυτή η μπλούζα (fem.), αυτός ο καφές (masc.)

How do I ask the price of a specific noun?

• Πόσο κοστίζει αυτό το πουκάμισο;
• Πόσο κοστίζει αυτή η μπλούζα;
• Πόσο κοστίζει αυτός ο καφές;

How do I ask about multiple items?

Use the plural verb:

• Πόσο κάνουν αυτά; or Πόσο κοστίζουν αυτά; “How much do these cost?” For the total together, clarify:
• Πόσο κάνουν όλα μαζί; “How much for all together?”

Can I say πόσα instead of πόσο for price?

No. πόσα means “how many.” For price/amount, use πόσο, even with plural items:

• Correct: Πόσο κάνουν αυτά;
• Not for price: ✗ Πόσα κάνουν;

How do I ask in the past tense?

• Πόσο κόστισε αυτό; “How much did this cost?” (verb: aorist of κοστίζω → κόστισε)

How will people typically answer?

Common patterns:

• Πέντε ευρώ.
• Κάνει πέντε (ευρώ).
• Είναι πέντε ευρώ. Notes:
• ευρώ is invariable.
• Cents: λεπτά (e.g., ένα ευρώ και πενήντα (λεπτά)).

What’s with the semicolon-looking symbol at the end?

In Greek, the question mark is written like an English semicolon: ; So …αυτό; is a question.

Where do the stress marks go, and do they matter?

• Πόσο, κοστίζει, αυτό each have one written stress mark.
• They’re required in lower-case Greek.
• Don’t confuse πόσο “how much” with ποσό “amount” (different stress and meaning).

What’s the conjugation around κοστίζει that I should know?

Present of κοστίζω (to cost):

• εγώ κοστίζω, εσύ κοστίζεις, αυτός/αυτή/αυτό κοστίζει
• εμείς κοστίζουμε, εσείς κοστίζετε, αυτοί/αυτές/αυτά κοστίζουν Use plural for multiple items: Πόσο κοστίζουν αυτά;

How is αυ pronounced in αυτό?

• αυ is pronounced /av/ before vowels/voiced consonants (e.g., αυγό /avˈɣo/).
• It’s /af/ before voiceless consonants (e.g., αυτό /afˈto/, αυτή /afˈti/).

What’s the difference between αυτό and εκείνο?

• αυτό = “this (one)” (near you)
• εκείνο = “that (one)” (farther away) Example: Πόσο κοστίζει εκείνο; “How much does that one cost?”

Is “Τι κοστίζει αυτό;” okay?

It’s not idiomatic for price. Use:

• Πόσο κοστίζει (αυτό);
• Or: Τι τιμή έχει; / Ποια είναι η τιμή; (more formal/literary)

Any quick add-on phrases useful in shops?

• Μπορώ να το δοκιμάσω; “Can I try it on?”
• Έχετε σε άλλο μέγεθος/χρώμα; “Do you have another size/color?”
• Δέχεστε κάρτα; “Do you take card?”