کتنا / کتنی / کتنے
Asking How Much or How Many
Use کتنا with a masculine singular amount, کتنی with a feminine noun, and کتنے with a masculine plural. The noun tells you what is being counted or measured.
How It Works
بوتل میں کتنا پانی ہے؟ asks about an amount of water, not a count of separate waters. Masculine پانی takes کتنا.
کتنی چائے uses the feminine form. So does کتنی چابیاں, even though the keys are plural.
For a masculine count noun in the plural, use کتنے: یہاں کتنے گھر ہیں؟. A number can replace the question phrase in the answer.
The English choice between how much and how many depends on the intended amount or count. Urdu agreement still follows the noun, so do not assign one fixed Urdu form to each English phrase.
Examples (4)
- بوتل میں کتنا پانی ہے؟
How much water is in the bottle?
Masculine پانی takes کتنا; بوتل names the container.
- کتنی چائے باقی ہے؟
How much tea is left?
Feminine چائے takes کتنی.
- آپ کے پاس کتنی چابیاں ہیں؟
How many keys do you have?
Feminine plural چابیاں also takes کتنی.
- یہاں کتنے گھر ہیں؟
How many houses are here?
Masculine plural گھر takes کتنے.
Common Mistakes
Changing a feminine quantity word to masculine in the plural.
کتنے چابیاں ہیں؟کتنی چابیاں ہیں؟چابیاں is feminine plural, so use کتنی. کتنے is masculine plural here.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Understand the gender and number matching in کتنا, کتنی and کتنے.
Related Patterns
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice کتنا / کتنی / کتنے in Bubblegum
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