How do you use "cost a fortune" in a sentence?

That handbag must have cost a fortune. Renovating the house cost us a fortune. Private school fees cost a fortune these days.

cost a fortune

Q: What does "cost a fortune" mean?

To be extremely expensive We say 'cost a fortune' not 'price a fortune' or 'expense a fortune'. 'Cost' is the only verb that naturally pairs with 'a fortune' in this expression.

Collocation BritishAmericanAustralian ★★★★★ Very Common Neutral

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Significado: To be extremely expensive

非常昂贵

Ser extremadamente caro

非常に高価であること

매우 비싸다

We say 'cost a fortune' not 'price a fortune' or 'expense a fortune'. 'Cost' is the only verb that naturally pairs with 'a fortune' in this expression.

我们说'cost a fortune'而不是'price a fortune'或'expense a fortune'。'Cost'是唯一能与'a fortune'自然搭配的动词。

Decimos 'cost a fortune' y no 'price a fortune' ni 'expense a fortune'. 'Cost' es el único verbo que se combina naturalmente con 'a fortune' en esta expresión.

「cost a fortune」と言い、「price a fortune」や「expense a fortune」とは言いません。「cost」がこの表現で「a fortune」と自然に組み合わさる唯一の動詞です。

'cost a fortune'이라고 하지 'price a fortune'이나 'expense a fortune'이라고 하지 않습니다. 'cost'만이 이 표현에서 'a fortune'과 자연스럽게 결합하는 유일한 동사입니다.

Ejemplos

That handbag must have cost a fortune.
那个手提包一定花了一大笔钱。
Ese bolso debe de haber costado una fortuna.
あのハンドバッグは大金がかかったに違いない。
저 핸드백은 엄청난 돈이 들었을 거야.
Renovating the house cost us a fortune.
翻新房子花了我们一大笔钱。
Renovar la casa nos costó una fortuna.
家のリフォームは大金がかかった。
집 리모델링에 큰돈이 들었다.
Private school fees cost a fortune these days.
现在私立学校的学费贵得离谱。
Las matrículas de colegios privados cuestan una fortuna hoy en día.
今どきの私立学校の学費はとてつもなく高い。
요즘 사립학교 학비는 엄청나게 비싸다.

Pronunciación

Guía de uso

Contexto: financial, shopping, general

Tono: emphatic

✓ Correcto

That car cost a fortune.
那辆车花了一大笔钱。
Ese coche costó una fortuna.
あの車は大金がかかった。
그 차는 엄청난 돈이 들었다.
It must have cost a fortune!
一定花了不少钱吧！
¡Debe de haber costado una fortuna!
きっと大金がかかったでしょう！
분명 엄청난 돈이 들었을 거야!

✗ Incorrecto

That car priced a fortune. (use 'cost' not 'price' — 'price' is not used as a verb this way)
That car priced a fortune.（用'cost'而不是'price'——'price'不能这样用作动词）
That car priced a fortune. (se usa 'cost', no 'price' — 'price' no se usa como verbo de esta manera)
That car priced a fortune.（「price」ではなく「cost」を使います。「price」はこのように動詞として使いません）
That car priced a fortune.('price'가 아니라 'cost'를 사용합니다. 'price'는 이런 식으로 동사로 쓰지 않습니다)
That car valued a fortune. (use 'cost' not 'value' for expressing expense)
That car valued a fortune.（表示价格高昂用'cost'而不是'value'）
That car valued a fortune. (para expresar un precio alto se usa 'cost', no 'value')
That car valued a fortune.（高額を表すには「value」ではなく「cost」を使います）
That car valued a fortune.(비용을 나타낼 때 'value'가 아니라 'cost'를 사용합니다)

Origen e historia

Natural English collocation — 'cost a fortune' is an idiomatic expression using 'fortune' to mean a very large sum.

Contexto cultural

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

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