kui palju / mitu

How Much and How Many

Level 1

kui palju means how much: Kui palju see maksab? (How much does it cost?) mitu means how many and is followed by a singular partitive noun: Mitu last sul on? (How many children do you have?)

How It Works

mitu – how many
mitu works like a number. The noun after it takes the partitive singular: mitu last (how many children), mitu korda (how many times), mitu tundi (how many hours). The answer follows the same rule: kaks last, kolm korda.

kui palju – how much

  • Price and amount: Kui palju see maksab?
  • Mass nouns in the partitive singular: Kui palju suhkrut? (How much sugar?)
  • Countable nouns in the partitive plural: Kui palju inimesi? (How many people?)

mitu also means "several"
In a statement, mitu means "several": Mul on mitu küsimust. (I have several questions.)

Good to know

  • mitu takes endings when the noun does: mitmes linnas (in how many cities / in several cities).
  • In everyday speech you will hear Palju see maksab? without kui. In writing, keep kui palju.

Examples (6)

  1. Kui palju see maksab?

    How much does this cost?

    Word by Word: how much this costs

  2. Mitu last sul on? – Kaks last.

    How many children do you have? – Two.

    Word by Word: how-many child(PART) you-at is – two child(PART)

    laps (child) becomes last, the singular partitive, after both mitu and kaks.

  3. Kui palju suhkrut sa tahad?

    How much sugar do you want?

    Word by Word: how much sugar(PART) you want

  4. Mitu tundi sa päevas töötad?

    How many hours a day do you work?

    Word by Word: how-many hour(PART) you day-in work

  5. Kui palju inimesi siin on?

    How many people are here?

    Word by Word: how many people(PART.PL) here is

  6. Mul on mitu küsimust.

    I have several questions.

    Word by Word: me-at is several question(PART)

    In a statement, mitu means "several".

Common Mistakes

  • Putting a plural noun after mitu.

    Mitu lapsed sul on?
    Mitu last sul on?

    mitu behaves like a number, so the noun after it is in the singular partitive.

  • Using mitu with something that cannot be counted.

    Mitu raha see maksab?
    Kui palju see maksab?

    mitu counts separate things. For money, price or other amounts, ask kui palju.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

kui palju / mituLevel 1How Much and How Many

Learn This First

mitu is followed by a counted noun.

Words in This Pattern

kuipaljumitu