Portuguese Phrase
Quanto custa mandar isso?
Meaning
The sentence asks for the price of sending a particular item. It is a direct, polite way to inquire about shipping or mailing fees, whether at a post office, a courier desk, or an online checkout page.
When to use
Use this phrase when you need to know how much a parcel, letter, or digital file will cost to be delivered. Typical settings include the post office, a courier service, a travel agency arranging document delivery, or an e‑commerce site’s shipping calculator.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Quantocustamandarisso?
Quanto (interrogative adverb)
Used to ask about quantity or price; it does not change form for gender or number.
custa (verb custar)
Third‑person singular present of ‘custar’ (to cost). In questions the verb stays in the same position as in statements.
mandar (infinitive)
Infinitive verb meaning ‘to send, to mail, to dispatch’. It follows the verb ‘custa’ to express the action whose price is being asked.
isso (demonstrative pronoun)
Refers to something near the listener or already mentioned; the neutral form for ‘this/that’.
🗨In Conversation
Quanto custa mandar isso?
How much does it cost to send this?
São R$ 45,00 para entrega padrão em até três dias úteis.
It’s R$ 45.00 for standard delivery within three business days.
✕Common Mistakes
Custa quanto mandar isso?
The correct order is ‘Quanto custa…’; swapping the words sounds unnatural and is considered a literal translation from English.
Quanto custa mandar isso?
For electronic files, ‘enviar’ is more idiomatic; ‘mandar’ is usually used for physical items.
↔Alternatives
Qual o preço para enviar isto?
What is the price to send this?
Quanto é que custa mandar isso?
How much does it cost to send this?
Quanto vai custar o envio?
How much will the shipping cost?
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, shipping costs are often quoted in reais (R$) and may vary by weight, distance, and speed of delivery. When speaking with a clerk, it’s polite to say ‘por favor’ after the question. In some regions, people prefer the verb ‘enviar’ over ‘mandar’, especially for electronic files, but both are understood in the context of physical parcels.