LANGUAGE LEARNING LAB

With this lesson we’ll begin a small series concerning money and making purchases starting with the verb “to cost” or kosztować. In the following two lessons we will continue to build in this area. This will leave you with the ability to create a simple conversation about making everyday purchases.

Memorize new vocabulary

Kosztować - To cost

Polish currency zloty - złoty

Apply it to Sentence Structure

The verb kosztować belongs to Conjugation II. The stem of the verb is kosztuj- and the endings are as follows: -ę, -esz, -e, -emy, -ecie, -ą. For a review of this conjugation go to Lesson 31.

Once you learn this verb, you will notice that the largest context in which you use it is for buying things. Therefore, the most common form of the verb you will see will be the third person singular kosztuje or the third person plural kosztują. The verb form, to kosztuje (it costs) is the most commonly used form of this verb along with te kosztują (these cost).  

Remember: If you want to ask how much something costs, you need to use the term ile (how much? how many?). For a review of this term go to Lesson 15.
Examples:

Ile to kosztuje?
    How much is this?

Ile tamto kosztuje?
    How much is that?

Ile te kosztują?
    How much are these?

Ile one kosztują?
    How much are they?


Złoty

The Polish currency is called złoty. If you look at the table above, you will notice that this word changes according to the amount. To say 1 zloty we use złoty. For 2, 3, 4, 22, 23, 24, etc. we will say złote. If we are talking about a number that is 5 or more zloty or finishes with numbers 0, 1 or 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9 then we will use złotych. This all may sound confusing at first but with a little practice it will become like second nature.  If you need a refresher of Polish numbers, go to Survival Polish - Numbers on our website.

Examples

1 złoty
4 złote
9 złotych

43 złote
152 złote

60 złotych
121 złotych
4999 złotych

Practice it!

I. Create correct questions asking about the cost of something according to the forms given below.

To    

1. _________________________________ ?

Te   

2. _________________________________ ?

One   

3. _________________________________ ?

II. Use the correct form of zloty for the numbers below.

1           __________
3           __________
8           __________
391       __________
762       __________
2000     __________

*Click here for answer key*

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Lesson 37                                                                                                 Lesson 39