cueste

Cueste is a grammatical form in the Spanish language. It is the present subjunctive form of the verb costar, which means “to cost.” The subjunctive mood is used in subordinate clauses that express doubt, uncertainty, desire, emotion, or necessity, and cueste is the form that appears in those contexts for certain subjects or grammatical constructions.

In standard usage, cueste appears in clauses introduced by verbs or expressions that require the subjunctive, as in sentences such as “Espero que cueste menos de lo que pensé” (I hope that it costs less than I thought) or “Es posible que cueste un poco más” (It’s possible that it may cost a bit more). The form is also characteristic of the second-person singular and third-person singular present subjunctive, depending on the subject of the clause.

A common idiomatic expression built from this form is cueste lo que cueste, which translates to “at whatever cost” or “no matter what it costs.” It is used to express strong determination or resolve, often in contexts involving sacrifice or perseverance.

Phonology and orthography are straightforward: cueste is accented on the first syllable (CUE-ste), reflecting stress rules for Spanish presente subjunctive forms of -ar verbs with irregular stem changes.

See also: costar, subjunctive mood in Spanish, cueste lo que cueste.