英文花費動詞完整教學: cost、spend、pay、take 用法一次搞懂

英文的花費動詞有好幾個: cost, spend, pay, take, 而中文的「花費」一字包辦所有情況，例如: 我花了很多錢、這件襯衫花我一千元、寫英文功課花我很多時間，這些句子在翻譯英文時，花費動詞倒底該選哪一個? 與其死背用法而常常搞錯，建議讀者可以學習如何用英文思考: 英文母語者在意三件事情: 1.誰是主詞? 是人還是東西? 2. 花費的是金錢還是時間? 3.想強調的是東西的價格? 付錢的行為動作? 還是做某事情所花費的時間?

• 想強調東西的「價格」→ 用 cost
  EX: This T-shirt cost me 1,000 dollars.
• 想強調「人如何用錢或時間」→ 用 spend
  EX: I spend a lot of money on food. I spent two hours doing my English homework yesterday.
• 想強調「付錢這個動作」→ 用 pay
  EX: I paid the bill. I paid 1000 dollars for the shirt.
• 想強調「事情需要多少時間」→ 用 take
  It takes me two hours to do my English homework.

英文初學者可能會覺得很困擾，就一個花費動詞怎麼那麼麻煩? 但其實只要學會英文思考邏輯 並多練習造句於日常生活中，這四個動詞cost, spend, pay, take其實很好分，接下來筆者將提供更多花費動詞例句來詳細解說cost, spend, pay, take的用法:

花費動詞例句與用法解說: cost、spend、pay、take

我們先來看一個線上購物的對話:

Conversation: Online Shopping
Leo: Hey Mia, the new sweater looks great on you!
Mia: Thanks, Leo! I just bought it online last night. It only cost me $500 NTD.
Leo: That’s cheap. Did you pay for it at the convenience store?
Mia: Yes, I paid in cash. I don't have a credit card.
Leo: I sometimes spend too much money when I shop online. Last month, I spent nearly $3,000 NTD on video games!
Mia: Wow, that’s a lot!
Leo: How long did it take you to get your package?
Mia: It only took two days! But I spent a lot of time looking for the right color.
Leo: I see.

對話: 網購
里歐： 嘿，米亞！那件新毛衣穿在你身上真好看！
米亞： 謝謝你，里歐！我昨晚才在網路上買的，只花了我 500 元。
里歐： 那很便宜耶。你是去便利商店付款的嗎？
米亞： 對，我付現金，因為我沒有信用卡。
里歐： 我網購的時候有時會花太多錢。上個月，我花了快 3,000 元買電動！
米亞： 哇，那真的很多耶！
里歐： 那你收件花了多久時間（包裹多久才到）？
米亞： 只花了兩天而已！但是我花很多時間找合適的顏色。
里歐： 原來如此。

在中文裡，我們通常都用一個「花」字來涵蓋所有的情況，但在英文裡，這四個詞是有嚴格區分的：

1. Cost

毛衣花了我 500 元 The sweater cost 500 NTD. The sweater cost me 500 NTD.
-> 主詞是「事物」 花費「錢」用cost
-> 注意句子結構是: 東西+ cost (人) + 多少錢

2. Spend

我花了 3,000 元在電玩上 I spent nearly $3,000 NTD on video games!
我花了很多時間找合適的顏色 I spent a lot of time looking for the right color.
-> 主詞是「人」 花錢和花時間都用 spend
-> 注意句子結構如果是要表達人花多少錢買某物:
人 + spend + 多少錢 on 東西, 介係詞是on
-> 表達人花多少時間做某事情:
人 + spend + 多少時間 + Ving, spend後面的動詞要用Ving的型態寫

3. Pay

你在便利商店付款嗎? Did you pay for it at the convenience store?
我用現金付款 I paid in cash.
-> 主詞是「人」 並想強調「付款」 這個動作用pay
-> 注意句子結構 人 +pay + 多少錢 for 東西, 介係詞是for
EX: Mia paid 500 dollars for the sweater.

*延伸學習: Pay 其他常見句型

1)人 +pay + 多少錢: We paid 1000 dollars. 我們付了1000元
2)Pay +某人: Remember to pay the delivery man. 記得要付款給快遞人員
人+pay 某人+多少錢: They paid the landlord 5000 dollars. 他們付房東5000元
3)人+ pay for 某物: I’ll pay for the dinner. 晚餐我付錢, 注意不能寫I’ll pay the dinner. 你付款去購買想要的東西, 用法是pay for something, you gave them money for the dinner.
思考邏輯: 你給店家錢去獲取你想要的東西
EX: I need to pay for my books.
EX: I’ll pay for the tickets.
EX: I need to pay for it.
4) 如果是要講 付帳單 付稅金 付房租 則直接講 pay the bill, pay the rent, pay the tax 因為bill, rent, tax這些字是你需要付款的金錢概念, 就直接說pay the money 付款金錢
5) 人用某種方式付款: Pay by credit card. 用信用卡付款 Pay by check. 用支票付款 Pay in cash 用現金付款, 注意介係詞用法
6) 人用某種貨幣付款: Can I pay in Yen? 我可以用日圓付款嗎?

4. Take

那你收包裹花了多久時間 How long did it take you to get your package?
只花了兩天 It only took two days.
->主詞是「事情」 並想強調「事情需要多少時間」→ 用 take, 句型結構通常用 It 虛主詞開頭: It + takes + (person) + 時間 + to 做某事情 It only took me two days to get the package.
-> Take 問句句型: 問某事情要花某人多少時間做 How long + 助動詞+ it take某人 to 做某事情
How long did it take you to get your package?
How long does it take you to walk to school every day?

上述講了take的問句句型，那讀者可能會問到spend花多少時間 及 spend, cost, pay 花多少錢的問句句型又該怎麼造句呢?

Spend, cost, pay 問句句型:

How long does Jan spend studying English every day?
How much time does Jan spend studying English every day?
She spends two hours studying English every day.
How much did Jan spend on this sweater?
She spent five hundred dollars on this sweater.
How much did Jan pay for this sweater?
She paid five hundred dollars for this sweater.
How much did it cost Jan to buy this sweater?
It cost Jan five hundred dollars to buy this sweater.

花費動詞用法學習者常犯的錯誤

讀者在學習花費動詞的用法時，最常犯的三個錯誤是1.直接中翻英用錯花費動詞 2.用錯花費動詞搭配的介係詞 3.用錯句型中花費動詞後面接to V/Ving的型態。我們看一下讀者常犯的錯誤:

1.直接中翻英用錯花費動詞

例: 寫功課花我兩小時
有些學生用錯花費動詞寫成 It cost me two hours to finish my homework. 但句子中是講事情花多少時間，所以應該寫成 It took me two hours to finish my homework. 才是正確的句子。

2.用錯花費動詞搭配的介係詞

例: Peter 花了五千元買他的新眼鏡
有些學生沒注意到花費動詞搭配的介係詞，把句子寫成 Peter paid 5000 dollars on his new glasses. 或著 Peter spent 5000 dollars for his new glasses. 但pay 搭配的介係詞是for, spend 搭配的介係詞是on 應該要寫成Peter paid 5000 dollars for his new glasses. 或著 Peter spent 5000 dollars on his new glasses. 才是正確的。

3.用錯句型中花費動詞後面接to V/Ving的型態

另有些學生造句時可能沒注意到花費動詞後面接to V還是Ving的型態，進而犯錯，例如 “寫功課花我兩小時”，犯錯寫成 It took me two hours finishing my homework. 或 I spent two hours to finish my homework. 但花費時間take的句型是: It + takes + (person) + 時間 + to 做某事情，所以應該要寫成It took me two hours to finish my homework. 花費時間spend 的句型是: 人 + spend + 多少時間 + Ving, spend後面的動詞要用Ving的型態寫，所以應該正確句子是I spent two hours doing my homework.

又例如”Peter 花了五千元買他的新眼鏡” 有的學生犯錯寫成 It cost Peter 5000 dollars buying his new glasses. 但正確的句子應該是 It cost Peter 5000 dollars to buy his new glasses.

讀者可能會問 “那該如何避免犯錯?” 最自然的學習方式就是熟背四個花費動詞的句型，理解母語人士的思路邏輯 (主詞是人還是事物?用在金錢還是時間?) 並在日常生活中應用多練習造句，練習久了習慣成自然就不會搞混花費動詞，下面統整四個花費動詞的快速比較表，希望讓讀者一目了然。

花費動詞圖表統整: 如何迅速判定該用哪個動詞?

花費動詞練習題: 圈選正確的字

1. This pen (cost/took) me 10 dollars.
2. I paid 100 dollars (on/for) this T-shirt.
3. I spent 100 dollars (on/for) this T-shirt.
4. She (spends/ takes) two hours studying Chinese every day.
5. It (cost/spent) Dennis 200 dollars (to buy/buying) this bag.
6. Dennis (spent/took/cost/paid) 30 dollars on the gift.
7. It (took/spent) Ivy a month (finishing/ to finish) the book.
8. Kelly spends an hour (to do/ doing) her homework.
9. It took Jerry ten minutes (to clean/ cleaning) his bedroom.
10. Jerry spends three hours (practicing/ to practice) singing.
11. It will (take/spend) me 40 minutes to wash my dog.
12. My brother (spends/ takes) two hours doing his homework every day.
13. He paid 100 dollars (on/for) this book.
14. I spent 100 dollars (on/for) this book.

答案:
1. cost 2. for 3. on 4. spends 5. cost/ to buy 6. spent 7. took/ to finish 8. doing 9. to clean 10. practicing 11. take 12. spends 13. for 14. on

花費動詞常見問題

Q1 中文的「花費」在英文一定要分成不同動詞嗎？為什麼英文有這麼多「花費」的動詞？

是的，在英文中花費可能使用: cost, spend, pay, take. 英文會根據主詞是誰、花的是錢還是時間，以及說話的重點，使用不同的動詞。 不像中文用一個「花費」就能表達所有情況，英文用字需要更精確，用錯動詞，英文句子就會變得不自然。

Q2 有沒有簡單的方法記住這四個花費動詞？

可以用簡單對照表來記：
東西的價格-> cost , 人花錢或時間-> spend, 人付錢-> pay, 事情花時間-> take
只要先判定「重點是什麼」，動詞就不會選錯。

參考書目:

Azar, Betty Schrampfer. Fundamentals of English Grammar. 4th ed. New York: Pearson Education, 2011

國中康軒英語課本

朗文英文字典