Hello can someone explain how to do this please. I have 40sts on the needle and the next instruction says k10, (k2tog) ten times, k to end. 30sts
I am so lost 
Hi and welcome!
Sounds like a knit 10, k2tog 10 times, knit 10. that would take you from 40sts to 30sts. To do that, knit 10 sts, then knit the next 2sts on the left hand needle together, knit the next 2sts together, and repeat the k2tog 8 times more, then knit the last 10sts.
Just to be sure, can you give us a link to the pattern or a pattern name?
The pattern is Finley Fox by Sachiyo Ishii
Oh and thank you
Very cute!
One important part of the pattern was left out in your post. There are parentheses around the (k2tog). That indicates that the repeats, 10 times, only apply to the k2tog. That’ll help further down in the pattern when you get to row 20 which has a (k2tog) 4 times.