Prices in pesos quickly reach the hundreds. Learn to ask what something costs, to understand the answer and to pay.

Your turn

Why two forms?

¿Cuánto cuesta el mango? / ¿Cuánto cuestan los mangos?

The main idea

¿Cuánto cuesta?
How much is it?
¿Cuánto cuesta la piña?
How much is the pineapple?
¿Cuánto cuestan los aguacates?
How much are the avocados?
Cuesta treinta pesos.
It's thirty pesos.
Son ciento veinte pesos.
That's a hundred twenty pesos.

Son… pesos gives the total, like That's… in English.

The hundreds

NumberIn words
100cien
120ciento veinte
150ciento cincuenta
200doscientos
300trescientos
400cuatrocientos
500quinientos
600seiscientos
700setecientos
800ochocientos
900novecientos
1000mil
1500mil quinientos

Most hundreds are the number plus -cientos. Three are different: quinientos (500), setecientos (700) and novecientos (900).

cien pesos
a hundred pesos
ciento cincuenta pesos
a hundred fifty pesos
doscientos cuarenta pesos
two hundred forty pesos
quinientos pesos
five hundred pesos
mil pesos
a thousand pesos
cien veinte pesos Incorrect
ciento veinte pesos
a hundred twenty pesos

At the market

At a market stall, people often ask ¿A cómo están…? for the price per kilo:

¿A cómo están los mangos?
How much are the mangoes?
A cuarenta pesos el kilo.
Forty pesos a kilo.
Me da un kilo, por favor.
A kilo, please.
Medio kilo, por favor.
Half a kilo, please.

Market stalls usually take cash, and small bills make it easier. Shops and supermarkets ask how you want to pay:

¿En efectivo o con tarjeta?
Cash or card?
En efectivo.
Cash.
Con tarjeta, por favor.
By card, please.
¿Tiene cambio de quinientos?
Do you have change for five hundred?

Listen: buying mangoes

On Saturday Ben buys fruit at a market. Listen first, then read the text.

Buying mangoes
Your turn

How much is a kilo of mangoes?

Your turn

How much change does Ben get?

Your turn

Write what you hear.

Your turn

Write what you hear.

Quick check

Your turn

Complete: ¿Cuánto ___ las manzanas?

Your turn

Which one is 150?

Your turn

Write 500 in words:

Son pesos.
Your turn

The cashier asks ¿En efectivo o con tarjeta? You want to pay by card. Answer:

Your turn

At a market stall, ask how much the avocados are and ask for a kilo.

Take with you

¿Cuánto cuesta?
How much is it?
¿Cuánto cuestan los aguacates?
How much are the avocados?
¿A cómo están los mangos?
How much are the mangoes?
Me da un kilo, por favor.
A kilo, please.
Son ciento cincuenta pesos.
That's a hundred fifty pesos.
¿Tiene cambio de quinientos?
Do you have change for five hundred?
Con tarjeta, por favor.
By card, please.
En efectivo.
Cash.

Cuesta for one thing, cuestan for several, and no y after the hundreds: ciento veinte.