költünk

Költünk is a Hungarian verb form meaning “we spend.” It is the present tense, first-person plural form of the verb költeni, used when the subject is the speaker plus others. The sense is spending money or other resources; to talk about spending time, Hungarian uses a different verb, tölteni, as in töltenünk időt.

In present tense, the full conjugation of költeni is: én költök, te költesz, ő költ, mi költünk, ti költötök, ők költenek. Költünk generally appears with an object in the accusative to indicate what is spent. Common examples include: Mi pénzt költünk erre a projektre (We spend money on this project), A nyaralásra költünk pénzt (We spend money on the vacation). Negative or comparative phrases such as sokat költünk rá (we spend a lot on it) are also possible.

Usage and nuance: költünk is typical in discussions of budgeting, finance, or resource allocation in both personal and organizational contexts. It usually implies deliberate expenditure of finite resources. For time or energy, speakers would choose töltünk or tölteni in most cases (for example, töltenünk időt valakivel = we spend time with someone, rather than költünk időt).

Etymology and related forms: költeni derives from the Hungarian root köl-, linked with költség and költségvetés, which pertain to cost and expenditure. Related palabras include költség (cost) and költségvetés (budget). See also költeni, tölteni, költség.