Билет на концерт был дорогим, но стоил того.

to be

Breakdown of Билет на концерт был дорогим, но стоил того.

• на: for
• билет: the ticket
• концерт: the concert
• дорогой: expensive
• но: but
• стоить того: to be worth it

Questions & Answers about Билет на концерт был дорогим, но стоил того.

What does стоил того mean in this sentence?

Стоил того is an idiomatic expression that translates to “was worth it.” It implies that although the ticket was expensive, the overall value or experience of the concert justified the cost.

Why is дорогим in the instrumental case instead of the nominative?

In Russian, predicate adjectives following the verb был (was) are commonly put in the instrumental case to indicate a state or condition. Hence, был дорогим correctly means “was expensive,” with дорогим in instrumental form.

How does the structure стоил того function without a direct object?

The phrase стоил того works as a set expression in Russian. The word того acts as a placeholder that completes the idea. Rather than taking a clear direct object, it idiomatically expresses that the high cost was ultimately justified—essentially, it “cost” or “was worth” the experience.

What role does the preposition на play in Билет на концерт?

The preposition на in Билет на концерт indicates purpose or intended use. It tells us that the ticket is specifically for the concert, translating directly to “ticket for the concert.”

How does the conjunction но affect the meaning of the sentence?

The conjunction но means “but” and is used to contrast two ideas in the sentence. It highlights that although the ticket was expensive, the experience it provided was so valuable that it fully justified the cost.