כמה
káma/ˈka.ma/
In Hebrew, "how many" is expressed as כמה (káma). Wiktionary also lists כַּמָּה (káma).
Meaning: what number (pron)
Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| כמה | káma | /ˈka.ma/ (Modern Israeli) /ˈkam.mɔ/ |
| כַּמָּה | káma |
The word כמה is used for both 'how many' (countable) and 'how much' (uncountable).
Which one should you use?
The two forms provided, כַּמָּה and כמה, are both pronounced the same way and serve the same purpose in this context.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
In Hebrew, כמה does not change its form based on whether the noun it refers to is masculine or feminine.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ˈka.ma/ (káma), with the stress on the first of the two syllables.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers might try to use different words for 'how many' and 'how much', but in Hebrew, כמה covers both.
Did you know?
- When asking כמה to find out the price of an item, Israelis often omit the word for 'money' entirely, as the word alone implies a request for the cost.
- In modern slang, repeating the word as כמה כמה (kama kama) can be used to express a sense of 'so much' or 'to what extent'.
- In Hebrew, כמה can also mean 'some' or 'a few' when used in a statement rather than a question. For example, one might say 'I have some' instead of 'How many do I have?'
Examples in context
- כמה עטים יש לה?How many pens does she have?This sentence is useful for asking about the quantity of pens a female person possesses using כמה.Tatoeba #2598997 by nava, translation #312833 by CK
- כמה יש בסך הכל?How many are there in all?This sentence is useful for asking for a total sum using כמה.Tatoeba #6042919 by fekundulo, translation #2264252 by sharptoothed
- כמה תיקים יש לך?How many bags do you have?This sentence is useful for asking how many bags someone has using כמה.Tatoeba #684132 by Eldad, translation #23683 by CK
- 272 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Noam and Rotem are buying apples at a market.
- נועם Noamכמה תפוחים אתה רוצה?Kama tapuchim ata rotze?How many apples do you want?
- רוטם Rotemאני רוצה חמישה תפוחים.Ani rotze hamisha tapuchim.I want five apples.
- נועם Noamכמה זה עולה בסך הכל?Kama ze ole besekhol?How much does it cost in total?
- רוטם Rotemזה עולה עשרה שקלים.Ze ole asarah shekalim.It costs ten shekels.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “how many” translations and entries כמה, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
