German · CEFR Band 1 (A1) · Chapter 22
PreisePrices
How much does it cost? Vocabulary for the price: kosten, teuer, billig, wenig, mehr, weniger, kostenlos, der Rabatt, die Karte, bar. Key point: the verb „kosten“ agrees with the THING: one → kostet, several → kosten. „Wie viel KOSTET das Brot?“ but „Wie viel KOSTEN die Früchte?“. English speakers always use the singular („Wie viel kostet die Früchte?“ ✗). „Teuer“ and „billig“ stay unchanged after „sein“: „Das ist teuer“.
Dialogue
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kostet / kosten
- LukasMike, willst du diese Früchte?Mike, do you want this fruit?
- MikeJa. Wie viel kostet die Früchte?Yes. How much is the fruit? (slip: a plural subject needs „kosten“)
- Lukas„Wie viel kosten die Früchte?“ — mit Plural: kosten.„Wie viel kosten die Früchte?“ — with a plural: kosten.
- MikeAh, wie viel kosten die Früchte?Ah, how much is the fruit?
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Im Geschäft— At the Shop
- VerkäuferinGuten Tag. Was möchten Sie?Hello. What would you like?
- LenaWie viel kostet dieses Obst?How much is this fruit?
- VerkäuferinEs kostet drei Euro. Es ist sehr gut.It costs three euros. It is very good.
- LenaDas ist billig. Kann ich mit Karte zahlen?That's cheap. Can I pay by card?
Vocabulary
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- kosten
verbto cost (kostet/kosten)
- teuer
adjectiveexpensive
- billig
adjectivecheap
- wenig
adj./adv.little, few
- mehr
adverbmore
- weniger
adverbless
- kostenlos
adjectivefree (no cost)
- Rabatt
n.m.discount (der)
- Karte
n.f.card (die)
- bar
adverbin cash (bar bezahlen)
Grammar
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Wie viel kostet / kosten?
Explanation
To ask the price: „Wie viel kostet das?“ (one thing) or „Wie viel kosten sie?“ (several). The verb „kosten“ agrees with the THING, not the person: das Brot KOSTET, die Früchte KOSTEN. It is used mostly in the 3rd person: kostet (singular), kosten (plural). English speakers always say the singular: „Wie viel kostet die Früchte?“ ✗ → „Wie viel kosten die Früchte?“ ✓. Compare: „teurer“, „billiger“, „mehr“, „weniger“. To pay: „Kann ich mit Karte zahlen?“ or „Ich zahle bar“ — in Germany cash is still very popular, but the EC card works almost everywhere. „Gibt es einen Rabatt?“ is rarely asked in a shop; prices are fixed.
Examples
- Wie viel kostet das Brot? — Es kostet zwei Euro.How much is the bread? — It costs two euros.
- Wie viel kosten die Früchte? — Sie kosten drei Euro.How much is the fruit? — It costs three euros.
- Das ist teuer. Ich möchte etwas Billigeres.That's expensive. I would like something cheaper.
- Kann ich mit Karte zahlen? — Ja, klar.Can I pay by card? — Yes, of course.
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