A1 Idiom अनौपचारिक

Costar un riñón

To cost a fortune

मतलब

To be extremely expensive.

🌍

सांस्कृतिक पृष्ठभूमि

In Spain, people are very expressive about money. Using 'un riñón' is a standard way to complain about the rising cost of electricity or gas. While 'un riñón' is understood, Mexicans might also say 'me costó un ojo de la cara' or use the word 'carísimo' with a lot of emphasis. In Argentina, due to high inflation, this phrase is used daily. It's often accompanied by a gesture of touching the side of the body. Colombians might use this phrase in a slightly more formal way than Spaniards, but it remains a staple of casual marketplace talk.

💡

Use it for drama

Don't use it for a 5-euro coffee unless you are being very sarcastic. Save it for big purchases.

⚠️

Check your audience

It's safe for most people, but avoid it in very formal legal or medical settings.

मतलब

To be extremely expensive.

💡

Use it for drama

Don't use it for a 5-euro coffee unless you are being very sarcastic. Save it for big purchases.

⚠️

Check your audience

It's safe for most people, but avoid it in very formal legal or medical settings.

🎯

Combine with 'me'

Adding 'me' (Me costó...) makes it sound more natural and personal.

खुद को परखो

Complete the sentence with the correct form of the verb 'costar'.

Esa casa ________ un riñón.

✓ सही! ✗ बिलकुल नहीं। सही जवाब: cuesta

The subject 'esa casa' is third person singular, so we use 'cuesta'.

Which phrase means 'It's very expensive'?

¡Ese coche...!

✓ सही! ✗ बिलकुल नहीं। सही जवाब: cuesta un riñón

The idiom is 'costar un riñón'.

Match the situation to the most likely reaction.

You see a pair of shoes that cost 1,000 euros.

✓ सही! ✗ बिलकुल नहीं। सही जवाब: ¡Cuestan un riñón!

1,000 euros for shoes is an exorbitant price, fitting the idiom.

Complete the dialogue.

A: ¿Te gusta mi reloj? B: Sí, pero seguro que...

✓ सही! ✗ बिलकुल नहीं। सही जवाब: te costó un riñón

The idiom 'te costó un riñón' is the natural way to comment on an expensive-looking item.

🎉 स्कोर: /4

विज़ुअल लर्निंग टूल्स

Price Intensity

Cheap
barato cheap
un chollo a bargain
Expensive
caro expensive
costoso costly
Exorbitant
un riñón a kidney
un ojo an eye

अभ्यास बैंक

4 अभ्यास
Complete the sentence with the correct form of the verb 'costar'. Fill Blank A1

Esa casa ________ un riñón.

✓ सही! ✗ बिलकुल नहीं। सही जवाब: cuesta

The subject 'esa casa' is third person singular, so we use 'cuesta'.

Which phrase means 'It's very expensive'? Choose A1

¡Ese coche...!

✓ सही! ✗ बिलकुल नहीं। सही जवाब: cuesta un riñón

The idiom is 'costar un riñón'.

Match the situation to the most likely reaction. situation_matching A2

You see a pair of shoes that cost 1,000 euros.

✓ सही! ✗ बिलकुल नहीं। सही जवाब: ¡Cuestan un riñón!

1,000 euros for shoes is an exorbitant price, fitting the idiom.

Complete the dialogue. dialogue_completion B1

A: ¿Te gusta mi reloj? B: Sí, pero seguro que...

✓ सही! ✗ बिलकुल नहीं। सही जवाब: te costó un riñón

The idiom 'te costó un riñón' is the natural way to comment on an expensive-looking item.

🎉 स्कोर: /4

अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल

10 सवाल

No, it's not rude, but it is informal. It's perfectly fine for friends and family.

No, you don't say a person 'cuesta un riñón' unless you are talking about their professional fee.

Yes, it is widely understood and used throughout the Spanish-speaking world.

They are interchangeable. 'Cuesta un riñón' and 'Vale un riñón' mean the same thing.

Sometimes people say 'me costó los dos riñones' for extra emphasis, but 'un riñón' is the standard.

Yes, use 'es extremadamente caro' or 'tiene un precio prohibitivo'.

Because it's a vital organ. It represents a part of yourself you can't easily give up.

Yes, 'me costó un riñón' is very common for things you already bought.

Exactly. It's the direct cultural equivalent.

Yes, like 'me costó un riñón terminar la tarea'. It means it was very hard.

संबंधित मुहावरे

🔄

costar un ojo de la cara

synonym

To cost an eye from the face

🔗

valer un potosí

similar

To be worth a fortune

🔗

estar por las nubes

similar

To be in the clouds

🔗

ser un chollo

contrast

To be a bargain

🔗

tirar la casa por la ventana

builds on

To throw the house out the window

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