French · Time, Numbers & Colors
"How many?" in French: Combien ?
Combien ?
How many in French is Combien ? Alone it often means how much (price). Combien de + noun asks how many: combien de personnes ?
Market stall
Les pommes — combien ?Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce Combien ?
Say it
kohm-BYAN
/kɔ̃.bjɛ̃/
Combien: kohm-BYAN. Nasal ien; rising question.
"How many?" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Combien ? | How many? / How much? Default short. | Default short. |
| combien de… | how many… With a noun. | With a noun. |
| ça fait combien ? | how much is that? Price. | Price. |
| vous êtes combien ? | how many of you are there? Party size. | Party size. |
How to use Combien ? in real life
- 1Market stall
Les pommes — combien ?
The apples—how much/how many?
Full short ask.
- 2Booking a table
Combien de personnes ?
How many people?
Combien de.
- 3Ticket window
Combien pour deux allers ?
How much for two one-ways?
Price.
Mistakes English speakers make with Combien ?
Incorrect: Combien personnes ?
Correct: Combien de personnes ?
Use de before a noun: combien de.
Incorrect: How many ?
Correct: Combien ?
Use Combien ? in French.
Good to know
Combien ? alone at a stall usually means price. For clear counts, add de + noun. Cashiers answer with numbers and euros; ask encore une fois if you miss it.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Buying fruit
ChatPal
Ces fraises, combien ?
These strawberries—how much?
You
Je demande. Madame, combien ?
I'll ask. Ma'am, how much?
ChatPal
Elle dit quatre euros. Combien de barquettes tu veux ?
She says four euros. How many punnets do you want?
You
Deux, s'il vous plaît.
Two, please.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"How many?" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "How many?" in French
How do you say how many in French?
Combien ?
How do you add a noun?
Combien de + noun.
Does Combien ? mean price too?
Yes, often how much.
How do you pronounce combien?
kohm-BYAN.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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