kaç

How Many

Level 1

Use kaç to ask for a specific number or quantity. It is the standard way to say 'how many' and is also used for time and price.

How It Works

The word kaç is the primary question word for countable quantity in Turkish. While it translates to 'how many', its usage covers several specific areas:

Countable Quantity: Used with items you can count. In daily speech, you can use kaç tane to emphasize individual units of objects. For people, kişi (person) is the general counter word (kaç kişi?). Remember that nouns following kaç must stay singular: kaç kitap? (how many books?), never kaç kitaplar?. This follows the rule of numbers taking a singular noun.
Countable vs. Uncountable: Do not confuse kaç with ne kadar. Use kaç for things you count (like apples or people) and ne kadar for things you measure or mass nouns (like water, flour, or time).
Time and Dates: Use saat kaç? to ask the current time. To ask 'at what time', use the -de/-da suffix: saat kaçta?. To ask for the date, use the possessive construction Ayın kaçı? (What is the date?).
Sequence and Partitives: To ask 'which one' in a numbered order, it takes the ordinal suffix: Kaçıncı?. Additionally, kaç can take possessive endings to ask 'how many of...', such as kaçı? (how many of them?) or kaçınız? (how many of you?).
Exclamations: Like in English, kaç can be used for emphasis, such as Kaç defa! (How many times!).
Verb Homonym: Be aware that kaç is also the simple command form of the verb kaçmak, meaning 'run away' or 'escape'. Context will tell you if it is a question or a command.

Examples (6)

Kaç kardeşin var?
How many siblings do you have?
Word by Word: How-many sibling-your there-is?
Notice that 'kardeş' (sibling) is singular, even though the person might have multiple siblings.
Kaç tane elma istiyorsun?
How many apples do you want?
Word by Word: How-many piece apple you-are-wanting?
The word 'tane' is a common counter word used in daily speech when asking 'how many' for objects.
Bugün ayın kaçı?
What is the date today?
Word by Word: Today month-of how-many-its?
To ask for the date (day of the month), Turkish uses the possessive form 'kaçı'.
Siz kaçıncı kattasınız?
Which floor are you on?
Word by Word: You how-many-th floor-at-are-you?
The ordinal suffix '-ıncı' is added to 'kaç' to ask about numerical order or sequence.
Kaç defa söyledim!
How many times have I told you!
Word by Word: How-many time I-told!
'Kaç' can be used in exclamations to emphasize a large number of times.
Buradan hemen kaç!
Run away from here immediately!
Word by Word: Here-from immediately escape!
Don't confuse the question word with the verb 'kaç', which is the imperative form of 'kaçmak' (to escape/run away).

Common Mistakes

Pluralizing the noun after 'kaç'.
Kaç arabalar var?
Kaç araba var?
In Turkish, nouns following numbers or quantity question words like 'kaç' must always be singular.
Using 'kaç' for uncountable substances like water or flour.
Kaç süt istiyorsun?
Ne kadar süt istiyorsun?
Use 'kaç' for things you can count (units). Use 'ne kadar' for volume or mass (uncountables).

How It Connects

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

kaçLevel 1How Many

Learn This First

To use 'kaç' (how many) effectively, you need to understand basic Turkish word order and how to express existence using 'var', as 'kaç' typically asks about the quantity of items that exist in a certain context.

varThere Is / There Are
The word 'kaç' is most commonly used in existential sentences to ask 'how many' of something there is, requiring an understanding of 'var'.
Level 1

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Patterns that build on this one.

bu kaç liraAsking the PriceLevel 2

Words in This Pattern

kaç

Practice kaç in Bubblegum

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