French · Greetings & Essentials
"How much?" in French: combien ?
combien ?
How much in French is combien ? For prices say Combien ça coûte ? Before a noun use Combien de… : Combien de tickets ?
At a bakery
Combien pour deux croissants ?Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce combien ?
Say it
kohm-BYAN
/kɔ̃.bjɛ̃/
kohm-BYAN. Nasal -ien; rise at the end for the question.
"How much?" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Combien ? | How much? / How many? Short question. | Short question. |
| Combien ça coûte ? | How much does it cost? Prices. | Prices. |
| Combien de… | How much/many… Before a noun. | Before a noun. |
| C'est combien ? | How much is it? Casual shop talk. | Casual shop talk. |
How to use combien ? in real life
- 1At a bakery
Combien pour deux croissants ?
How much for two croissants?
Combien + pour + item.
- 2Buying tickets
Combien de places voulez-vous ?
How many seats do you want?
Combien de before a noun.
- 3Checking a menu
Combien ça coûte, le plat du jour ?
How much is the daily special?
Combien ça coûte is the price formula.
Mistakes English speakers make with combien ?
Incorrect: Combien coût ?
Correct: Combien ça coûte ?
Need a full verb phrase: ça coûte.
Incorrect: Combien tickets ?
Correct: Combien de tickets ?
Use Combien de before a noun.
Good to know
In markets, Combien ? or C'est combien ? is normal and direct. Soften with s'il vous plaît if you want extra politeness with shop staff.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Paying at a fruit stall
ChatPal
Tu demandes combien pour les fraises ?
Are you asking how much for the strawberries?
You
Oui. Combien pour un kilo ?
Yes. How much for a kilo?
ChatPal
Elle a dit quatre euros. C'est combien pour toi ?
She said four euros. Is that okay for you?
You
Ça me va. Je prends le kilo.
Works for me. I'll take the kilo.
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 much?" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "How much?" in French
How do you say how much in French?
Combien ?
How do I ask the price?
Combien ça coûte ? or C'est combien ?
When do I use Combien de?
Before a noun: Combien de personnes ?
How do you pronounce combien?
kohm-BYAN with two nasal vowels.
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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