combien

how much

adverb kohm-BYEHN Common

Also means

how many

Usage Note

Combien is used in both questions (combien coûte-t-il?) and exclamations (combien de fois! — how many times!). When followed by a noun it takes de without an article: combien de personnes (how many people). In informal spoken French, the question mark inversion is often dropped: il coûte combien? is very natural.

Examples

"Combien de temps faut-il?"

Natural Translation

How much time does it take?

Literal Translation

How-much of time is-necessary?

Related Words

Explore French by topic

FrenchNow

French Numbers 1 to 100: Count With Confidence

French numbers 1 to 100 in one complete chart, with pronunciation, the et-un rule, hyphens, and the four-twenties system explained so you can count anywhere.

June 4, 2026 6 min read

FrenchNow

Je t'aime vs Je t'adore: I Love You in French

Je t'aime is the real romantic I love you; je t'adore means warm fondness, not romance. Here's the person-vs-thing rule and the bien trap that flips it.

June 4, 2026 6 min read

FrenchNow

How to Pronounce the French R (Step by Step)

The French R is a back-of-the-throat sound, not a rolled R. Learn the exact tongue position and a step-by-step drill to build it from sounds you already make.

June 4, 2026 6 min read

FrenchNow

Le, La, Un, Du: French Articles Made Simple

Le, la, un, du, des made simple: pick the French article family by meaning, the form by gender, and dodge the two mistakes English speakers always make.

June 4, 2026 5 min read