What does it mean word for word?
بكم is made of the preposition bi, meaning with or for, followed by kam, meaning how much. هذا means this.
Which one should you use?
To ask about the price of something already mentioned, say بكم سعره؟ or كم سعره؟, both meaning how much is its price.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
بكم هذا؟ is Modern Standard Arabic, so it suits formal settings and writing as well as shops.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Levantine dialects, spoken in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Palestine, people more often ask قَدّيش؟ (qadēsh?) instead of bikam.
How does it change in a sentence?
هذا is the masculine word for this. For a feminine noun change it to هذه, giving بكم هذه؟.
How do you pronounce it?
Say it as bikam hādhā?, with the voice rising at the end.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Match the word for this to the item. Use بكم هذه؟ when the thing you are pointing at is a feminine noun.
Did you know?
- In many Arabic markets, asking بكم هذا؟ is only the start of a social ritual. It is often expected that the buyer will negotiate the price, and accepting the first price offered can sometimes be seen as unusual.
- In many Arabic-speaking markets, you may hear the word خلاص ('khilas'), which means 'finished' or 'enough', used to signify that a price has been agreed upon and the deal is closed.
- In Levantine dialects, the word قَدّيش؟ ('qadēsh?') is actually a contraction of a longer phrase meaning 'to what extent'.
Examples in context
- بكم هذا؟How much is this?
Example conversation
Nour is asking Omar about the price of a souvenir in a shop.
- نور Nourبكم هذا؟bi kam hadha?How much does this cost?
- عمر Omarهذا بخمسين درهماً.hadha bi khamsin dirham.This is fifty dirhams.
- نور Nourهل هو غالي جداً؟hal huwa ghali jiddan?Is it very expensive?
- عمر Omarلا، إنه سعر جيد.la, innahu si'r jayyid.No, it is a good price.
