costare poco

/koˈstaːre ˈpɔk.ko/
verb phraseIntermediate to be cheap
informal

To have a low price; to be inexpensive.

Questo vestito costa poco, l'ho comprato in saldo.

This dress is cheap, I bought it on sale.

Non comprare quel prodotto, costa poco e non dura a lungo.

Don't buy that product, it's cheap and won't last long.

💡

Often used to describe items or services that are affordable or low-cost. Can imply poor quality when context suggests.

Collocations

costare poco e maleto be cheap and bad (quality)

Related Phrases

costare un occhio della testaidiom
to cost an arm and a leg

💡Pro Tip

Context matters

While 'costare poco' usually means 'to be cheap,' in some contexts it can imply poor quality. Pay attention to the surrounding words or tone.

Gold Rule

Literal meaning only

This phrase is not idiomatic. Its meaning is directly derived from its components: 'costare' (to cost) + 'poco' (little).

📖Word Origin

From the Italian verb 'costare' (to cost) and the adverb 'poco' (little/cheap). The phrase combines the verb of pricing with a quantifier to indicate low cost.

📝Usage Notes

Commonly used in everyday conversation to discuss affordability. The phrase is literal and does not carry idiomatic meaning.

Word Breakdown

costare
to cost
verb
+
poco
little/cheap
adverb
Dizionario Italiano-Inglese