koľko

How Much and How Many

Level 1

Koľko to stojí? (How much does it cost?) Koľko máš rokov? (How old are you?) One word covers both "how much" and "how many".

How It Works

Prices: Koľko to stojí? (How much is it?) Koľko stojí lístok? (How much is a ticket?)

Age: Koľko máš rokov? – Mám dvadsať rokov. Slovak says you "have" years (see mať + rok / roky / rokov).

Time: Koľko je hodín? (What time is it?) See Koľko je hodín.

Counting: Things you can count go in the genitive plural: Koľko máš súrodencov? (How many brothers and sisters do you have?) Koľko máte detí? (How many children do you have?)

Measuring: Things you measure go in the genitive singular: Koľko cukru si dáš? (How much sugar will you have?)

The verb: With koľko + noun as the subject, use the singular: Koľko ľudí tu pracuje? In the past, use the neuter -lo form: Koľko ľudí prišlo? (How many people came?)

Later: For a group of men, careful Slovak can also use koľkí with a plural verb: Koľkí chýbali? (How many were missing?)

Examples (6)

  1. Koľko to stojí?

    How much does it cost?

    Word by Word: How-much it costs?

  2. Koľko máš rokov?

    How old are you?

    Word by Word: How-many have-you years?

  3. Koľko je hodín?

    What time is it?

    Word by Word: How-many is of-hours?

  4. Koľko ľudí tu pracuje?

    How many people work here?

    Word by Word: How-many of-people here works?

    Ľudia (people) becomes ľudí, and the verb stays singular.

  5. Koľko cukru si dáš do kávy?

    How much sugar do you take in your coffee?

    Word by Word: How-much of-sugar yourself give-you into coffee?

  6. Koľko máte detí?

    How many children do you have?

    Word by Word: How-many have-you of-children?

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving the noun after koľko in the nominative.

    Koľko máš súrodenci?
    Koľko máš súrodencov?

    A counted noun after koľko goes into the genitive plural: súrodenci → súrodencov.

  • Using a plural verb with koľko + noun.

    Koľko ľudí prišli?
    Koľko ľudí prišlo?

    Koľko + noun acts like one amount, so the verb is singular, and neuter in the past: prišlo.

  • Using roky in the age question.

    Koľko máš roky?
    Koľko máš rokov?

    After koľko the word rok is in the genitive plural: rokov.

How It Connects

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

koľkoLevel 1How Much and How Many

Learn This First

Before How Much and How Many, learn Counting Numbers. koľko asks about numbers and amounts.

Words in This Pattern

koľko