die  Kost

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/kɔst/

🍽️ What does "die Kost" mean?

"Die Kost" is a feminine noun generally referring to food, provisions, or fare. It has several specific nuances:

• General food/provisions: The daily food someone consumes. Example: Die Kost war einfach, aber nahrhaft. (The food was simple but nutritious.)
• Diet/Way of eating: A specific type of nutrition, often for health reasons. Example: Der Arzt verordnete ihm leichte Kost. (The doctor prescribed him a light diet.)
• Board (often with lodging): Refers to the food provided as part of a service, e.g., in a hotel or guesthouse, often in the phrase "Kost und Logis" (board and lodging). Example: Im Preis sind Kost und Logis enthalten. (Board and lodging are included in the price.)

🚨 Attention: Although a plural form "Kosten" theoretically exists, it is rarely used for food to avoid confusion with "die Kosten" (expenses, costs). People usually rephrase (e.g., "verschiedene Arten der Kost" - different types of food/diet).

📐 Grammar of Kost in Detail

The noun "Kost" is feminine. The article is therefore "die". It is almost exclusively used in the singular.

Example Sentences

1. Die Kost in diesem Restaurant ist hervorragend. (The food/fare in this restaurant is excellent.)
2. Nach der Operation durfte sie nur flüssige Kost zu sich nehmen. (After the surgery, she was only allowed to have liquid food/a liquid diet.)
3. Er arbeitete für freie Kost und Logis auf dem Bauernhof. (He worked for free board and lodging on the farm.)
4. Manche Menschen bevorzugen vegetarische Kost. (Some people prefer a vegetarian diet.)

💡 How to use "die Kost"?

"Die Kost" is often used to describe the type or quality of food. It can sound slightly more formal or general than the everyday word "Essen" (food, meal).

• Typical Collocations:
  • leichte Kost: light food/diet (easy to digest, e.g., when ill)
  • schwere Kost: heavy food (hard to digest, often fatty)
  • vegetarische/vegane Kost: vegetarian/vegan diet
  • Hausmannskost: home-style cooking, traditional simple food
  • Magerkost: low-fat diet
  • Schonkost: bland diet (gentle on the stomach/intestines)
  • in Kost und Logis sein/geben: to receive/provide board and lodging
• Differentiation from "Essen" and "Nahrung":
  • Essen: The most general and common word for meals and what is eaten.
  • Nahrung: Tends to emphasize the nutritional aspect and sustenance.
  • Kost: Often more specific regarding the type of catering, diet, or the food offered (e.g., in a hotel).
• Context: You'll often find "Kost" in contexts like health/diet, gastronomy/hospitality, or when discussing the general quality of food provision.

🧠 Mnemonics for "die Kost"

Article Mnemonic (die): Think of "die" sounding like the English word "the" but needing a feminine touch. Imagine a queen (feminine) demanding di-et food (Kost). Or remember that many one-syllable German nouns ending in -t are feminine: die Fahrt (trip), die Naht (seam), die Kost.

Meaning Mnemonic (food/board): "Kost" sounds very similar to the English word "cost". Good food (Kost) usually costs money. Or think: What does it cost to eat well? The Kost!

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms

Similar but different words:

• Kosten (die, Plural): costs, expenses, charges. (Very common point of confusion!)
• kosten (verb): to taste (food/drink) OR to cost (have a price).
• kostbar: precious, valuable, expensive.

😄 A Little Joke

Der Ober fragt den Gast: "War die Kost nach Ihrem Geschmack?"
Gast: "Sagen wir mal so: Ich habe schon besser gekostet."

Translation:
The waiter asks the guest: "Was the food (Kost) to your taste?"
Guest: "Let's put it this way: I have tasted (gekostet) better."
(Pun: "gekostet" sounds like "Kost", but means "tasted".)

📜 Poem about Kost

Die Kost, sie nährt uns, Tag für Tag,
Mal fein, mal schlicht, wie's jeder mag.
Ob Schonkost sanft für Magenleid,
Ob Festmahl üppig, weit und breit.
Von Hausmannskost bis hin zu exotisch,
Die rechte Kost hält uns vital und frohsinnig.

Translation:
The food (Kost), it feeds us, day by day,
Sometimes fine, sometimes simple, as everyone may.
Whether bland diet gentle for stomach ache,
Whether feast lavish, for goodness sake.
From home-style cooking to exotic treats,
The right food (Kost) keeps us vital and cheerful on the streets.

🧩 Riddle

Ich bin mal leicht, ich bin mal schwer,
Man braucht mich täglich, immer mehr.
Im Hotel bin ich oft inklusive,
Manchmal auch Teil einer Kur, definitive.

Was bin ich?

Translation:
Sometimes I'm light, sometimes I'm heavy,
You need me daily, always ready.
In a hotel, I'm often included,
Sometimes part of a health cure, it's concluded.

What am I?

Solution: die Kost (food/diet/board)

➕ Other Information

• Etymology: The word "Kost" comes from Middle High German "kost", which originally meant "effort" or "price" and later specialized to mean "livelihood" and then "food". The connection to "kosten" (to cost) is therefore direct.
• Compounds: There are several compound words with "Kost", e.g.:
  • Kostgeld: Money for board/food.
  • Kostgänger: Someone who boards with others for payment (a boarder).
  • Beköstigung: The provision of food, catering.
  • Kostprobe: A sample for tasting (often used figuratively too).
• Idiom: The phrase "Das geht auf meine Kosten" (That's on me / I'll pay for it) uses the plural of "Kosten" (expenses), not "Kost" (food).