When you're just starting out in Slovenian, knowing how to ask about quantity is super useful. "Koliko" is your go-to word for both "how much" and "how many."
It's an adverb, so it describes verbs or adjectives, but you'll mostly use it to ask about the number or amount of something. For example, if you want to know the price of something, or how many people there are, "koliko" is the word you need.
It's straightforward and doesn't change its form, which makes it easy to remember.
When using koliko, you're asking about quantity or amount. It can be used for both countable and uncountable nouns, which is a bit different from English's "how much" and "how many" distinction. Think of it as a versatile question word for quantity.
For example, if you want to know the price, you'd ask "Koliko stane?" (How much does it cost?). If you want to know the number of people, it's "Koliko ljudi?" (How many people?). The key is that koliko covers both.
koliko in 30 Sekunden
- Use 'koliko' to ask about quantity.
- It means 'how much' or 'how many'.
- It's a very common and essential word.
§ What does "koliko" mean?
- DEFINITION
- "koliko" means "how much" or "how many" in English. It's an adverb used to ask about quantity, whether countable or uncountable.
The word koliko is one of the most useful words you'll learn in Slovenian. It's a fundamental question word that you'll use constantly in everyday conversations. Think of it as your go-to for asking about quantities of pretty much anything, from how many people are coming to how much coffee someone wants.
Unlike in English where we differentiate between "how much" for uncountable nouns (like water, money, time) and "how many" for countable nouns (like apples, books, cars), Slovenian uses a single word: koliko. This makes it simpler in some ways, as you don't have to worry about which form to use. It's a one-size-fits-all solution for asking about quantity.
§ When do people use "koliko"?
You'll use koliko whenever you want to inquire about a quantity. Here are some common scenarios:
-
Asking about numbers of things: This is for countable items.
Koliko jabolk imaš? (How many apples do you have?)
Koliko ljudi bo prišlo? (How many people will come?)
-
Asking about amounts of substances: This is for uncountable items.
Koliko vode potrebujemo? (How much water do we need?)
Koliko denarja imaš? (How much money do you have?)
-
Asking about prices: When you want to know the cost of something, koliko is the word to use.
Koliko stane? (How much does it cost?)
Koliko je ta knjiga? (How much is this book?)
-
Asking about age: While it translates more literally to "how many years," it's the standard way to ask someone's age.
Koliko si star/stara? (How old are you? [masculine/feminine])
Understanding when and how to use koliko is a big step in being able to ask practical questions in Slovenian. It's an essential building block for constructing sentences that allow you to gather information and communicate effectively in various situations, from shopping to social interactions. Practice these examples, and try to create your own to solidify your understanding.
How Formal Is It?
"Koliko znaša vaš račun?"
"Koliko je ura?"
"Kolk je cajta?"
"Koliko bonbonov imaš?"
"Kolk evrov maš?"
Wichtige Grammatik
Use 'koliko' to ask about the quantity of something, whether countable or uncountable. It always takes the genitive case of the noun it modifies.
Koliko denarja imaš? (How much money do you have? - 'denarja' is genitive singular of 'denar')
When asking about countable nouns, 'koliko' is followed by the genitive plural form of the noun.
Koliko knjig si prebral? (How many books have you read? - 'knjig' is genitive plural of 'knjiga')
For uncountable nouns, 'koliko' is followed by the genitive singular form of the noun.
Koliko časa potrebuješ? (How much time do you need? - 'časa' is genitive singular of 'čas')
'Koliko' can also be used with verbs to ask about the extent or frequency of an action. In this context, it often translates to 'how much' or 'how often'.
Koliko delaš na dan? (How much do you work per day?)
When asking about the price of something, 'koliko' is commonly used with the verb 'stati' (to cost).
Koliko stane to? (How much does this cost?)
Beispiele nach Niveau
Koliko časa potrebuješ za pripravo večerje?
How much time do you need to prepare dinner?
Koliko ljudi bo prisotnih na sestanku?
How many people will be present at the meeting?
Koliko stane ta avto?
How much does this car cost?
Koliko izkušenj imaš na tem področju?
How much experience do you have in this field?
Koliko knjig si prebral to poletje?
How many books have you read this summer?
Koliko je ura?
What time is it? (Literally: How much is the hour?)
Koliko denarja si porabil za potovanje?
How much money did you spend on the trip?
Koliko truda je potrebno za učenje novega jezika?
How much effort is needed to learn a new language?
Wortfamilie
Substantive
Adjektive
So verwendest du es
Use koliko to ask about quantity, whether countable (how many) or uncountable (how much). It's a versatile word.
A common mistake is forgetting that 'koliko' covers both 'how much' and 'how many' in English. There isn't a separate word for countable items. Another common mistake is using it with the genitive case incorrectly; for example, after 'koliko,' nouns often appear in the genitive plural (e.g., 'koliko let' - how many years).
Im Alltag üben
Kontexte aus dem Alltag
Asking about quantity or amount of something that is countable.
- Koliko jabolk je na mizi? (How many apples are on the table?)
- Koliko ljudi prihaja na zabavo? (How many people are coming to the party?)
- Koliko dni ima teden? (How many days does a week have?)
Asking about the price of something.
- Koliko stane ta kava? (How much does this coffee cost?)
- Koliko je ura? (What time is it? / Literally: How much is the hour?)
- Koliko stanejo te čevlji? (How much do these shoes cost?)
Asking about an amount of something that is uncountable.
- Koliko vode potrebujemo? (How much water do we need?)
- Koliko denarja imaš? (How much money do you have?)
- Koliko časa imaš? (How much time do you have?)
Asking about age.
- Koliko si star/stara? (How old are you? [m/f])
- Koliko je star tvoj brat? (How old is your brother?)
- Koliko je stara tvoja sestra? (How old is your sister?)
Asking about distance or extent.
- Koliko je do Ljubljane? (How far is it to Ljubljana?)
- Koliko časa traja pot? (How long does the journey take?)
- Koliko je visok? (How tall is he?)
Gesprächseinstiege
"Koliko jezikov govoriš?"
"Koliko časa preživiš na spletu vsak dan?"
"Koliko je tvoja najljubša knjiga?"
"Koliko skodelic kave piješ na dan?"
"Koliko je do tvojega doma od tu?"
Tagebuch-Impulse
Napiši, koliko stvari te osrečuje vsak dan.
Napiši, koliko časa bi potreboval/a za učenje nove veščine in katero.
Koliko denarja bi potreboval/a za potovanje okoli sveta in kam bi šel/šla?
Koliko ljudi je vplivalo na tvoje življenje in kako?
Koliko je pomembno, da se naučiš novega jezika? Zakaj?
Teste dich selbst 18 Fragen
You are at a market. Ask the vendor how much apples cost. Use 'koliko' and 'jabolka' (apples).
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Koliko stanejo jabolka?
You want to know how many books your friend has. Ask them. Use 'koliko' and 'knjig' (books).
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Koliko knjig imaš?
Your friend is asking about your age. Respond, using 'Imam' (I have) and a number, e.g., 'Imam dvajset let.' (I am twenty years old).
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Imam trideset let.
How many books does the friend have?
Read this passage:
Jaz imam pet knjig. Moj prijatelj ima več. On ima osem knjig. Koliko knjig imate vi?
How many books does the friend have?
The passage states 'On ima osem knjig.'
The passage states 'On ima osem knjig.'
How much fruit is on the table?
Read this passage:
Na mizi so tri jabolka in dve hruški. Koliko sadja je na mizi?
How much fruit is on the table?
There are three apples and two pears, totaling five fruits.
There are three apples and two pears, totaling five fruits.
What is the price of the coffee?
Read this passage:
Anja vpraša: 'Koliko stane kava?' Prodajalec odgovori: 'Kava stane dva evra.'
What is the price of the coffee?
The seller says 'Kava stane dva evra.'
The seller says 'Kava stane dva evra.'
Choose the correct question: You want to ask 'How much does this book cost?'
'Koliko stane ta knjiga?' directly translates to 'How much does this book cost?'
Which sentence correctly uses 'koliko' to ask about quantity?
'Koliko ljudi je prišlo na zabavo?' means 'How many people came to the party?' and uses 'koliko' for quantity.
Select the most appropriate response to 'Koliko časa traja potovanje?' (How long does the journey take?)
'Traja dve uri.' means 'It takes two hours,' which is a direct answer to the question about duration.
The sentence 'Koliko je ura?' means 'What time is it?'
Yes, 'Koliko je ura?' is the standard way to ask 'What time is it?' in Slovenian.
You can use 'koliko' to ask about the price of something.
'Koliko stane?' is a common phrase to ask 'How much does it cost?'
The phrase 'Koliko si star?' means 'How are you?'
'Koliko si star?' means 'How old are you?' The phrase for 'How are you?' is 'Kako si?'
Choose the most appropriate response to: 'Koliko časa potrebuješ za pripravo večerje?'
The question asks 'How much time do you need...', so a time-related answer is appropriate.
Which of these sentences correctly uses 'koliko' to ask about quantity?
'Koliko stane ta knjiga?' asks about the price (quantity of money). 'Koliko si star?' asks about age (quantity of years). 'Koliko je ura?' asks about time (quantity of hours/minutes).
If someone asks 'Koliko vas je prišlo na zabavo?', what kind of answer are they expecting?
'Koliko vas je prišlo' means 'How many of you came', so a number is expected.
The sentence 'Koliko knjig si prebral to poletje?' is a grammatically correct way to ask about the number of books read.
Yes, 'koliko' is correctly used with the genitive plural 'knjig' when asking about a countable noun.
It is always appropriate to use 'koliko' with uncountable nouns to ask about their quantity.
Yes, 'koliko' is used for both countable and uncountable nouns, for example, 'koliko vode' (how much water) or 'koliko ljudi' (how many people).
In the sentence 'Koliko je to pomembno?', 'koliko' refers to a numerical quantity.
In this context, 'koliko' refers to the degree or extent of importance, not a specific numerical quantity.
/ 18 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
Mastering 'koliko' is crucial for asking about quantities in everyday Slovenian conversations.
- Use 'koliko' to ask about quantity.
- It means 'how much' or 'how many'.
- It's a very common and essential word.
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