Spanish Phrase
¿Cuánto cuesta enviar esto?
Meaning
The sentence asks for the price of shipping a specific item. It combines the interrogative ‘cuánto’ with the verb ‘costar’ and the infinitive ‘enviar’, making it a polite, direct way to inquire about a service fee.
When to use
Use this phrase at a post office, courier desk, or online checkout when you need to know the shipping cost of a package you are about to send. It works in both formal and informal settings.
✦Grammar Breakdown
¿Cuántocuestaenviaresto?
Cuánto (interrogative adverb)
Used to ask about quantity or price; it agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies.
costar (verb)
Third‑person singular present form ‘cuesta’; means ‘to cost’ and is used for both objects and services.
enviar (infinitive)
Infinitive verb meaning ‘to send’; placed after ‘cuesta’ to indicate the action whose price is being asked.
esto (demonstrative pronoun)
Neutral demonstrative pronoun meaning ‘this’; refers to the item you are holding or pointing at.
🗨In Conversation
¿Cuánto cuesta enviar esto?
How much does it cost to send this?
Depende del peso y del destino, pero son 12 euros.
It depends on the weight and the destination, but it's 12 euros.
✕Common Mistakes
¿Cuánto costo enviar esto?
‘Costo’ is a noun; the correct verb form is ‘cuesta’ when asking a question.
¿Cuánto es enviar esto?
‘Es’ means ‘is’; you need the verb ‘costar’ to ask about price.
¿Cuánto cuesta enviarlo?
Using the pronoun ‘lo’ changes the structure; keep the demonstrative ‘esto’ for clarity.
↔Alternatives
¿Cuál es el precio de enviar esto?
What is the price to send this?
¿Me dice cuánto cuesta enviarlo?
Can you tell me how much it costs to send it?
¿Cuánto hay que pagar por enviarlo?
How much do I have to pay to send it?
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking countries, it’s common to ask the price before handing over a package. Adding ‘por favor’ (e.g., ‘¿Cuánto cuesta enviar esto, por favor?’) makes the request sound extra courteous, especially in formal settings like banks or official courier offices. Be aware that some regions use ‘costo’ as a noun (e.g., ‘el costo de envío’) but the verb form ‘cuesta’ is preferred in spoken queries.