combien
See also: combein
French
Etymology
From Old French combien, from comme + bien.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /kɔ̃.bjɛ̃/
audio (France) (file)
Adverb
combien
- how much (for uncountable nouns and portions)
- 2018, Zaz, On s'en remet jamais
- Est-ce que tu crois que l'on oublie ? Combien de temps faut-il attendre ? Combien de nuits pour désapprendre à se retourner dans son lit ?
- Do you believe that one forgets? How long [lit. how much time] must one wait? How many nights to break the habit of rolling over in one's bed?
- Il y en a combien ? ― How much of it is there?
- Combien tu en veux ? ― How much (of it) do you want?
- 2018, Zaz, On s'en remet jamais
- how much (for money)
- Je ne sais pas combien d'argent j'ai. ― I don't know how much money I have.
- how many (with countable nouns)
- 2018, Zaz, On s'en remet jamais
- Est-ce que tu crois que l'on oublie ? Combien de temps faut-il attendre ? Combien de nuits pour désapprendre à se retourner dans son lit ?
- Do you believe that one forgets? How long must one wait? How many nights to break the habit of rolling over in one's bed?
- Combien de chansons va-t-elle chanter ? ― How many songs is she going to sing?
- Il y en a combien ? ― How many of them are there?
- 2018, Zaz, On s'en remet jamais
Derived terms
- c'est combien ? (how much is it?)
- combien ça coûte
Further reading
- “combien”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Anagrams
- combine, combiné
Old French
Alternative forms
- cumbien, cumben
Etymology
From comme + bien.
Adverb
combien
- how much, how many
- c. 1170, Wace, Le Roman de Rou:
- Dez ke Richart le sout, un espie enveia
Saveir u Thiebaut ert, e combien gent il a.- As soon as Richard knew about it, he sent a spy
to know where Thibalt was, and how many people he had with him.
- As soon as Richard knew about it, he sent a spy
-
Descendants
- French: combien