کتنا
kitna
The Urdu phrase کتنا (kitna) means "how much".
This phrase is used to inquire about the price or amount of something. If you want to ask "How much is it?" regarding a price, you can say کتنا ہے؟ (kitna hai?).
Meaning: what is the cost/price? (det)
Which one should you use?
The form you use depends on the gender and number of the noun you are quantifying. The default form کتنا (kitna) is used for masculine singular nouns or uncountable quantities. Use کتنی (kitni) for feminine nouns, and کتنے (kitne) for masculine plural nouns.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word changes its form to match the noun it quantifies: کتنا (kitna) for masculine singular, کتنی (kitni) for feminine and کتنے (kitne) for masculine plural.
How do you pronounce it?
kitna
Did you know?
- While کتنا is the standard way to ask 'how much', in bustling Pakistani markets you will often hear it used as a starting point for an intense social ritual of bargaining where the first price is never the final one.
- The word کتنا (kitna) is an ancient linguistic survivor, tracing its roots back to Sanskrit and Prakrit rather than having an Arabic or Persian origin.
- In a poetic or romantic context, کتنا is frequently used not for price but to express an immeasurable amount of longing or love, often appearing in the lyrics of Ghazals.
Examples in context
- تمیں کوئ حساب بھی ہے، اس پر کتنا کام کیا گیا ہے؟Do you have any idea how much work has gone into this?This sentence demonstrates using کتنا to ask about the amount of work performed.Tatoeba #10815039 by Roomba_Unit, translation #7587069 by _undertoad
- اس میں کتنا دودھ ہے؟is mein kitna doodh hai?How much milk is in this?
Example conversation
Aisha is buying a fruit at a market from Ahmed.
- عائشہ Ayeshaیہ سیب کتنا کا ہے؟Yeh saib kitna ka hai?How much is this apple?
- احمد Ahmedیہ بیس روپے کا ہے۔Yeh bees rupay ka hai.This is twenty rupees.
- عائشہ Ayeshaٹھیک ہے، میں دو لوں گی۔Theek hai, mein do loon gi.Okay, I will take two.
- احمد Ahmedشکریہ، عائشہ۔Shukriya, Aisha.Thank you, Aisha.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries کتنا, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
