French Conversation · Level 17
90 words
French word
combien
Pronunciation
IPA/kɔ̃bjɛ̃/
Meaning
- adverbhow much
Example
Dis, combien ça coûte ?
Say, how much does it cost?
More examples
Au total, ça revient combien ?
In total, how much does it come to?
Core concept
An empty slot on a number, money, or time scale waiting for its value.
Common phrases
c'est combien
How much is it
ça revient à combien
how much does it come to
Similar words
où: Asks about a place or location.
quand: Asks about a time or date.
comment: Asks about a method or condition.
pourquoi: Asks about a reason or cause.
Definition in French
Sert à demander une quantité, un montant ou une durée, utilisé pour interroger le nombre, le prix ou le temps, par exemple « Combien ça coûte ? » ou « Combien de pommes ? ».
Word origin
Combien comes through Old French from a compound of com- and bien, related to Latin cum or com and bene; the form became a general question word for measurable extent.
Usage tips
- With a count noun, combien de normally takes a plural noun, as in combien de pommes, but fixed expressions such as combien de temps use singular nouns.
Other meanings
- how longadverb
- how manynumber