Spanish Phrase
Un viaje cuesta tres dólares.
Meaning
The sentence states the price of a trip, indicating that the cost is three dollars. It uses the verb 'costar' to talk about price, which is common when asking or stating how much something costs.
When to use
Use this phrase when you need to tell someone the price of a travel service (bus ticket, train ride, tour) or when you’re comparing travel costs. It works in both casual and semi‑formal contexts.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Unviajecuestatresdólares
Indefinite article (Un)
Use 'un' before masculine singular nouns to mean 'a' or 'one'.
Noun (viaje)
'Viaje' means 'trip' or 'journey' and is masculine singular.
Verb (cuesta)
'Costar' means 'to cost'; in present tense third‑person singular it is 'cuesta' and agrees with the subject 'un viaje'.
Number + noun (tres dólares)
When a cardinal number is used, the noun is plural without an article; 'tres dólares' = three dollars.
🗨In Conversation
¿Cuánto cuesta el viaje?
How much does the trip cost?
Un viaje cuesta tres dólares.
A trip costs three dollars.
✕Common Mistakes
Un viaje es tres dólares.
Use 'cuesta' (cost) instead of 'es' (is) when talking about price.
Un viaje cuesta tres dólar.
After a number, the noun must be plural: 'tres dólares', not 'tres dólar'.
Un viaje cuesta un tres dólares.
Do not add an article before the amount; 'tres dólares' is correct, not 'un tres dólares'.
↔Alternatives
El viaje cuesta tres dólares.
The trip costs three dollars.
Un pasaje cuesta tres dólares.
A ticket costs three dollars.
El pasaje cuesta tres dólares.
The ticket costs three dollars.
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking countries the word 'viaje' refers to the whole journey, while 'pasaje' or 'boleto' is used for the ticket itself. When speaking with locals, you might hear '¿Cuánto cuesta el pasaje?' especially for buses or trains. Also, even if the local currency isn’t the dollar, tourists often quote prices in dollars for clarity.