combien

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See also: combein

French

Etymology

Inherited from Old French combien, from comme + bien.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /kɔ̃.bjɛ̃/
  • Audio (France):(file)

Adverb

combien

  1. how much (for uncountable nouns and portions)
    Il y en a combien ? ― How much of it is there?
    Combien tu en veux ? ― How much (of it) do you want?
    • 2018, Zaz, On s'en remet jamais:
      Est-ce que tu crois que l’on oublie ? Combien de temps faut-il attendre ? Combien de nuits pour désapprendre à se retourner dans son lit ?
      Do you believe that one forgets? How long must one wait? How many nights to break the habit of rolling over in one's bed?
  2. how much (for money)
    Je ne sais pas combien d’argent j’ai. ― I don't know how much money I have.
  3. how many (with countable nouns)
    Combien de chansons va-t-elle chanter ? ― How many songs is she going to sing?
    Il y en a combien ? ― How many of them are there?
    • 2018, Zaz, On s'en remet jamais:
      Est-ce que tu crois que l’on oublie ? Combien de temps faut-il attendre ? Combien de nuits pour désapprendre à se retourner dans son lit ?
      Do you believe that one forgets? How long must one wait? How many nights to break the habit of rolling over in one's bed?

Derived terms

Descendants

  • Haitian Creole: konbyen

Further reading

Anagrams

Old French

Alternative forms

Etymology

From comme + bien.

Adverb

combien

  1. how much, how many
    • c. 1170, Wace, Le Roman de Rou‎:
      Dez ke Richart le sout, un espie enveia
      Saveir u Thiebaut ert, e combien gent il a.
      As soon as Richard knew about it, he sent a spy
      to know where Thibalt was, and how many people he had with him.

Descendants

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