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几 and 多少 — how many and how much
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How many? How much?
- At the fruit stall you ask how many apples are left and how much they cost.
- you你want / will / need要a few几个？ Nǐ yào jǐ ge? — "How many do you want?" how much多少money钱？ Duōshao qián? — "How much is it?"
how many几: for small numbers
- how many几 (jǐ) asks about a number you expect to be small, usually under ten. It needs a measure word: a few几个, how many几root本, how many几(measure word)口people人.
- Use it for dates and times too: what time?几点？, what time?; week星期how many几？, which day?
you你family家have有how many几(measure word)口people人？
Which question asks “How many people are in your family?”
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几 needs a measure word; 口 is the measure word for family members.
几点？ asks what time it is.
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True. 几 is used for clock times and dates as well as small numbers.
how much多少: for any number
- how much多少 (duōshao) asks about any number, often a bigger one or one you can't guess: how much多少student学生？, how many students?
- The measure word is optional after how much多少. Prices always use it: how much多少money钱？, how much money?
this这个how much多少money钱？
Complete: “How much is this?” 这个____钱？
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Prices are asked with 多少钱.
Answering
- Put the number where the question word was: you你want / will / need要a few几个？ — 我要三个. how much多少money钱？ — 十块.
Answer: “I want three.” (to 你要几个？)
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The number replaces 几, and the measure word stays.
Watch out
- how many几 needs a measure word: a few几个people人, not how many几people人 in most sentences.
- Ask prices with how much多少money钱, not how many几money钱.
Recap
- how many几 + measure word = how many (small numbers), also what time?几点 and week星期how many几.
- how much多少 (+ measure word) = how many/how much (any number); how much多少money钱 = how much is it?
You are buying fruit. Ask how much the apples are, say how many you want, and ask what time the shop closes. Close the examples. Say it, then write it in Chinese.
Compare meaning and word order with the model; your sentences need not copy it. A partner or teacher must hear the spoken version to comment on pronunciation.