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To be extremely expensive; to cost a very large amount of money.
Il viaggio in Giappone mi è costato un capitale.
The trip to Japan cost me a fortune.
Questo ristorante costa un capitale, non ci torno più.
This restaurant costs an arm and a leg; I’m never going back.
Used to emphasize the high cost of something, often in a negative or exasperated tone.
Use 'costare un capitale' when you want to emphasize that something is prohibitively expensive. It’s often used in casual conversations to express frustration or disbelief at the price of an item or service.
Do not translate 'capitale' as 'capital' in the financial sense. Instead, interpret it as 'a fortune' or 'an arm and a leg' to convey the idiomatic meaning.
The phrase combines 'costare' (to cost) with 'capitale' (capital, referring to wealth or money). The idiom likely emerged in the 19th century, reflecting the idea of spending a significant portion of one's financial resources.
This idiom is informal and commonly used in everyday speech to express frustration or surprise at high prices. It is not typically used in formal or professional contexts.