A guide to saying it like a local
How to Say "How much" in Italian
The essential Italian phrase to ask 'how much does it cost?' when shopping or dining.
Quanto costa?
KWAN-toh KOS-tahneutral
Italian TTS · 0:01
Use this phrase when you need to know the price of an item in a shop, at a market stall, or when ordering from a menu without prices. It's direct and universally understood.
Alternatives
- Quanto?Shorter and more casual, often used when the context is already clear.
- Quant'è?A slightly more colloquial contraction, common in spoken Italian.
Ways to get it wrong
Costare vs. Costi
Always use 'costa' (third person singular) when asking about the price of one item or the general price.
Pronouncing 'Quanto'
The 'qu' is pronounced like 'kw', not 'kuh-wuh'.
A small cultural note
Italians generally appreciate when foreigners make an effort to ask prices directly rather than just assuming. Don't be shy!
Frequently asked
What if I want to ask about multiple items?
You can say 'Quanto costano?' (KWAN-toh KOS-tah-noh) for multiple items. The verb changes to plural.
How do you say how much does it cost in Italy?
To ask 'how much does it cost?' in Italian, you can say 'Quanto costa?'. This is a very common and useful phrase when shopping.
When to use quanto or quanta?
Quanto is used with masculine singular nouns, while quanta is used with feminine singular nouns. For plural forms, use quanti for masculine and quante for feminine.
How many in Italian?
The Italian word for 'how many' depends on the gender and number of the noun it refers to. Use 'quanti' for masculine plural nouns and 'quante' for feminine plural nouns.
On sale in Italian?
To say something is 'on sale' in Italian, you can use the phrase 'in offerta'. For example, 'Questo è in offerta' means 'This is on sale'.
