kemm

Use kemm to ask about quantity. A countable plural noun gives a “how many” reading; a mass noun gives a “how much” reading. It can precede a possession predicate, with the noun following that predicate. Kemm remains unchanged, while the possession form identifies the possessor.

Compare the questions about Sara's books and the listener's milk: one requests a number of items, the other an amount. Embedded kemm clauses can discuss expenditure or another quantity within a larger sentence. Degree readings depend on the predicate and context.

A numerical answer uses its own numeral and noun construction. The fragment tliet kotba, “three books,” uses the before-noun numeral form. Replacing kemm with a counting word is therefore insufficient: numeral forms and any special counted noun forms require their own construction. Do not derive a universal noun-number rule from the question word.