Costar vs. costear
In Spanish, both 'costar' and 'costear' relate to expenses or costs, but their uses and meanings differ significantly. Let's explore these differences with examples.
Costar
'Costar' means 'to cost'. It is used to talk about how much something is priced.
¿Cuánto cuesta este libro?
(How much does this book cost?)
El coche nuevo cuesta mucho dinero.
(The new car costs a lot of money.)
Este viaje nos va a costar una fortuna.
(This trip is going to cost us a fortune.)
Las entradas para el concierto cuestan 50 euros.
(The tickets for the concert cost 50 euros.)
Costear
'Costear' means 'to finance' or 'to pay for'. It is used when someone is covering or paying for the costs of something.
Mis padres me ayudan a costear la universidad.
(My parents help me finance my university education.)
Hemos decidido costear los gastos del evento.
(We have decided to pay for the event's expenses.)
La empresa va a costear el proyecto de investigación.
(The company is going to finance the research project.)
No puedo costear una casa en esta ciudad.
(I can't afford to pay for a house in this city.)
Summary
In summary, 'costar' is used to refer to the price or how much something costs, while 'costear' refers to the act of financing or paying for something.