coût

cost, expense

noun KOO Rare

Origin: Latin constare (to stand firm, to cost)

Usage Note

coût (note the circumflex — do not drop it in writing) means the price or cost of something. The plural les coûts is standard in economics. The phrase coût de la vie ('cost of living') is very common. Do not confuse with coup (blow, hit), which is spelled and sounds the same in careful speech but has a different meaning entirely.

Examples

"Le coût des travaux était très élevé."

Natural Translation

The cost of the work was very high.

Related Words

Explore French by topic

FrenchNow

French Filler Words: Euh, Bah, Du Coup, Quoi

French filler words like euh, bah, du coup, and quoi make you sound fluent, not lazy. Learn what each one does, where it goes, and how to use them naturally.

June 4, 2026 6 min read

FrenchNow

French Numbers 70, 80, 90 Made Simple

French numbers 70, 80, 90 are soixante-dix, quatre-vingts, and quatre-vingt-dix. Learn three build formulas to make any number 70-99 on the fly.

June 3, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

Passé Composé vs Imparfait: When to Use Each

Passé composé tells the story; imparfait paints the scene. Use this 2-second flowchart, trigger words, and paired examples to pick the right French tense.

June 3, 2026 6 min read

FrenchNow

French Object Pronouns: le, la, lui, leur Order

Le lui or lui le? Use the à-name test to pick le/la vs lui/leur, then one slot chart to order two French object pronouns — plus the command exception.

June 4, 2026 6 min read