Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'How much' to ask for the price of anything, whether it is one item or many items.
- Use 'How much is...' for one item, like 'How much is the apple?'
- Use 'How much are...' for multiple items, like 'How much are the shoes?'
- You can simply point and say 'How much is this?' to be understood anywhere.
Overview
How much?는 단순히 단어 몇 개를 외우는 것을 넘어, 영어의 기본적인 문장 구조와 '셀 수 있는 명사'와 '셀 수 없는 명사'의 개념을 익히는 아주 중요한 관문입니다.much의 개념부터, is와 are를 구분해서 쓰는 법, 그리고 실제 생활에서 바로 써먹을 수 있는 다양한 상황별 예시까지 꼼꼼하게 다뤄보겠습니다. 단순히 문법을 암시하는 것이 아니라, 왜 영어에서는 이렇게 말하는지 그 원리를 이해함으로써 여러분의 영어가 한층 더 자연스러워지도록 도와드릴게요. 자, 그럼 시작해 볼까요? 쉽죠? 천천히 따라와 보세요!much의 관계much는 '양이 많은'이라는 뜻으로, 주로 셀 수 없는 명사와 함께 쓰입니다. 재미있는 점은 영어에서 '돈(money)은 문법적으로 셀 수 없는 명사로 취급된다는 사실입니다. 우리가 «돈 한 개, 돈 두 개»라고 세지 않고 «천 원, 이천 원»처럼 화폐 단위를 세는 것과 비슷하다고 생각하면 이해하기 쉽습니다. 따라서 가격(전체적인 양)을 물어볼 때는 How many(개수)가 아니라 How much(양)를 사용하는 것입니다.be 동사(is, are)의 역할be 동사입니다. 가격을 물어볼 때 How much 뒤에는 반드시 이 be 동사가 따라와야 합니다. 이때 가장 중요한 것은 주어(물건)와의 일치입니다.- 단수(1개) 혹은 셀 수 없는 것:
is를 사용합니다. (예:this coffee,it,that bag) - 복수(2개 이상):
are를 사용합니다. (예:these shoes,they,those apples)
this(이것), that(저것), it(그것)과 같은 단어를 사용하면 훨씬 자연스럽습니다.this/these: 내 손에 있거나 가까이 있는 물건을 가리킬 때that/those: 조금 떨어져 있는 물건을 가리킬 때it/they: 앞에서 이미 언급해서 무엇인지 서로 알고 있을 때
- 1단수/셀 수 없는 명사일 때:
How much + is + 주어? - 2복수 명사일 때:
How much + are + 주어?
How much is the [noun]? | How much is the cake? | 진열대에 있는 케이크 한 조각의 가격을 물을 때 |How much is the [uncountable]? | How much is the milk? | 우유나 주스 같은 액체류의 가격을 물을 때 |How much is this? | How much is this? | 내가 손에 들고 있는 스마트폰 케이스의 가격을 물을 때 |How much is that? | How much is that? | 벽에 걸린 그림의 가격이 궁금할 때 |How much are the [nouns]? | How much are the tickets? | 영화 티켓 여러 장의 총액을 물을 때 |How much are they? | How much are they? | 신발 한 켤레(영어는 복수 취급)를 가리키며 물을 때 |How much are these? | How much are these? | 내 앞에 놓인 여러 개의 액세서리를 가리킬 때 |How much)가 가장 앞에 옵니다. 그 다음 동사(is/are), 마지막으로 궁금한 대상(주어)이 옵니다. 한국어의 이거(와 어순이 다르다는 점을 꼭 눈여겨보세요.this) 얼마(how much) 예요(is)?
How much?는 단순히 상점에서 물건을 살 때만 쓰는 것이 아닙니다. 일상생활의 다양한 경제 활동에서 폭넓게 사용됩니다.How much is this T-shirt?(이 티셔츠 얼마예요?)How much are these earrings?(이 귀걸이들 얼마예요?)
How much is the delivery fee?(배달 요금이 얼마인가요?)How much is a taxi to Gangnam Station?(강남역까지 택시비가 얼마나 나올까요?)How much is the membership?(멤버십 가입비가 얼마예요?)
How much is the total?(총액이 얼마인가요?)How much is the Americano?(아메리카노 얼마예요?)
is/are 대신 과거형인 was/were를 사용합니다.How much was the dinner yesterday?(어제 저녁 식사비 얼마였어?)How much were the flowers?(그 꽃들 얼마였니?)
Excuse me, how much is this?(실례합니다, 이거 얼마인가요?)Can you tell me how much this is, please?(이게 얼마인지 알려주실 수 있나요?)
be 동사를 빼먹는 실수- 틀린 표현:
How much this?(X) - 맞는 표현:
How much is this?(O) - 이유: 한국어에서는 «이거 얼마?»라고 명사 뒤에 바로 의문사를 붙여도 말이 되지만, 영어 문장에는 반드시 '동사'가 있어야 합니다. 특히 상태나 정체를 나타내는
is를 빼먹지 않도록 주의하세요.
much와 many를 혼동하는 실수- 틀린 표현:
How many is this apple?(X) - 맞는 표현:
How much is this apple?(O) - 이유: 사과는 셀 수 있으니까
many를 써야 한다고 생각하기 쉽습니다. 하지만 우리가 궁금한 것은 '사과의 개수'가 아니라 '사과의 가격(양)'입니다. 가격을 물을 때는 언제나How much로 시작한다고 공식처럼 외워두는 것이 좋습니다.
- 틀린 표현:
How much is these shoes?(X) - 맞는 표현:
How much are these shoes?(O) - 이유: 한국어는 «이 신발 얼마예요?»라고 할 때 신발이 한 짝인지 한 켤레인지 동사에서 구분하지 않습니다. 하지만 영어에서
shoes,pants,glasses처럼 두 개가 한 쌍을 이루는 물건은 항상 복수(are)로 취급해야 합니다.
the) 사용의 미숙함- 틀린 표현:
How much is coffee?(X - 일반적인 커피의 존재 의미를 묻는 느낌) - 맞는 표현:
How much is the coffee?(O - 내가 지금 사려는 '그' 커피) - 이유: 한국어에는 없는 '관사' 개념 때문에 생기는 실수입니다. 특정한 물건의 가격을 물을 때는
the를 붙여서 대상을 명확히 해주는 것이 자연스럽습니다.
How much...? | How many...? | What is the price of...? |How much is the bag? | How many bags are there? | What is the price of this bag? |How much는 가격 외에도 «얼마나 많이~?»라는 양을 물을 때도 씁니다.How much water do you drink? (물을 얼마나 마시니?)How many는 반드시 셀 수 있는 개수를 묻습니다.How many cups of water do you drink? (물 몇 잔 마시니?)How much?라고만 해도 되나요?How much?라고만 해도 의미는 충분히 전달됩니다. 하지만 조금 더 정중하게 표현하고 싶다면 How much is it, please?라고 문장을 완성해 주는 것이 좋습니다. 우리말도 «얼마?»보다는 «얼마예요?»가 듣기 좋은 것과 같은 이치입니다.Can you write it down, please?(좀 적어 주시겠어요?)라고 요청하거나, 계산기나 스마트폰 화면을 보여달라고 하면 됩니다. 이것도 아주 중요한 의사소통 기술입니다.How much is it?과 How much does it cost?는 뭐가 다른가요?How much is it?은 be 동사를 사용한 아주 기초적이고 흔한 표현이고, How much does it cost?는 cost(비용이 들다)라는 일반 동사를 사용한 표현입니다. 초보 단계에서는 훨씬 간단한 How much is it?을 먼저 마스터하는 것을 추천드려요.It's too expensive. Can you give me a discount?(너무 비싸요. 할인 좀 해주실 수 있나요?)라고 말해볼 수 있습니다. 영어를 배우는 즐거움 중 하나가 바로 이런 실전 협상이겠죠?How much? 패턴, 생각보다 어렵지 않죠? 핵심은 단수면 is, 복수면 are를 쓴다는 것, 그리고 돈은 셀 수 없어서 much를 쓴다는 것만 기억하시면 됩니다. 이제 카페에 가서 당당하게 아메리카노 가격을 물어보는 여러분의 모습을 상상해 보세요. 응원합니다!Using 'How Much' with the Verb 'To Be'
| Quantity | Question Start | Verb | Example Item |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Singular
|
How much
|
is
|
the bread?
|
|
Plural
|
How much
|
are
|
the eggs?
|
|
Uncountable
|
How much
|
is
|
the juice?
|
|
Pronoun (Near)
|
How much
|
is
|
this?
|
|
Pronoun (Far)
|
How much
|
is
|
that?
|
|
Pronouns (Plural)
|
How much
|
are
|
these/those?
|
Common Contractions
| Full Form | Contraction | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|
|
How much is it?
|
How much is it?
|
Rarely contracted in writing, but 'is' can sound like 's' in fast speech.
|
|
How much is that?
|
How much is that?
|
Standard form.
|
Meanings
The standard way to inquire about the cost or monetary value of an object or service in English.
Singular Inquiry
Asking the price of a single object or an uncountable mass.
“How much is this book?”
“How much is the milk?”
Plural Inquiry
Asking the price of multiple objects.
“How much are these oranges?”
“How much are the tickets?”
General/Abstract Cost
Asking about the total cost of a service or a situation.
“How much is the rent?”
“How much is a haircut?”
Reference Table
| 아이템 카테고리 | 질문 패턴 | 예시 질문 | 일반적인 답변 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
단수 아이템
|
How much is...?
|
How much is this book?
|
It's fifteen dollars.
|
|
복수 아이템
|
How much are...?
|
How much are these shoes?
|
They're seventy euros.
|
|
서비스 비용
|
How much is...?
|
How much is a haircut?
|
It's twenty-five pounds.
|
|
셀 수 없는 품목
|
How much is...?
|
How much is the coffee?
|
It's four dollars.
|
|
지칭하는 단수 물건
|
How much is it?
|
(케이크를 가리키며) How much is it?
|
It's ten pesos.
|
|
지칭하는 복수 물건
|
How much are they?
|
(셔츠 두 벌을 들고) How much are they?
|
They're thirty dollars each.
|
격식 수준 스펙트럼
Could you please inform me of the price of this garment? (Clothing store)
How much is this shirt? (Clothing store)
How much for this? (Clothing store)
What's the damage on this one? (Clothing store)
수준별 예문
How much is the water?
How much is the water?
How much are the apples?
How much are the apples?
How much is this?
How much is this?
How much is the bus ticket?
How much is the bus ticket?
How much does this shirt cost?
How much does this shirt cost?
How much are these blue shoes?
How much are these blue shoes?
How much is a night in this hotel?
How much is a night in this hotel?
How much do the sandwiches cost?
How much do the sandwiches cost?
Do you know how much the repair will be?
Do you know how much the repair will be?
How much tax is included in the price?
How much tax is included in the price?
I wonder how much they charge for delivery.
I wonder how much they charge for delivery.
How much is the deposit for the apartment?
How much is the deposit for the apartment?
How much of a discount can you offer me?
How much of a discount can you offer me?
It's not about how much it costs, but the quality.
It's not about how much it costs, but the quality.
How much are we looking at for the total budget?
How much are we looking at for the total budget?
Could you clarify how much is owed on the account?
Could you clarify how much is owed on the account?
How much of the blame lies with the manufacturer?
How much of the blame lies with the manufacturer?
I was taken aback by how much the prices had fluctuated.
I was taken aback by how much the prices had fluctuated.
How much does the current political climate affect sales?
How much does the current political climate affect sales?
It remains to be seen how much of an impact this will have.
It remains to be seen how much of an impact this will have.
How much more of this insolence must I endure?
How much more of this insolence must I endure?
The question is not how much we gain, but what we lose in the process.
The question is not how much we gain, but what we lose in the process.
How much soever he tried, the cost remained prohibitive.
How much soever he tried, the cost remained prohibitive.
One must consider how much of our identity is tied to our wealth.
One must consider how much of our identity is tied to our wealth.
혼동하기 쉬운
Learners often use 'How many' for price because they think of counting coins.
Learners might say 'How much price?' which is a redundant combination.
Using 'are' for things that come in pairs but are one item (like a suit).
자주 하는 실수
How many is the bread?
How much is the bread?
How much the coffee?
How much is the coffee?
How much are the apple?
How much is the apple?
How much money is it?
How much is it?
How much is the shoes?
How much are the shoes?
How much cost this?
How much does this cost?
How much are the milk?
How much is the milk?
Can you tell me how much is it?
Can you tell me how much it is?
How much price is it?
What is the price?
How much does it costs?
How much does it cost?
How much of a price increase is acceptable?
What level of price increase is acceptable?
문장 패턴
How much is ___?
How much are ___?
How much does ___ cost?
How much for ___?
Real World Usage
How much are these handmade bags?
Excuse me, how much is this silk scarf?
How much was my share of the pizza?
How much is the starting salary for this position?
How much is the delivery fee?
How much is the monthly payment?
먼저 말을 걸 땐 예의 있게!
Excuse me, how much is this?
much와 many를 헷갈리지 마세요
How much is the water?
이름을 모를 땐 'it'으로 가리키기
How much is it?
흥정할 때는 문화를 확인하세요!
How much is this bag?
대답의 시작을 잘 들어보세요
Smart Tips
Use 'How much for the lot?' to ask for the price of everything together.
Add 'Excuse me' or 'Could you tell me...' to the start of your question.
Ask for an estimate using 'about how much'.
Always use 'are' for pants, trousers, glasses, and scissors.
발음
Linking 'Much' and 'Is'
The 'ch' sound in 'much' often links directly to the 'i' in 'is', sounding like 'mu-chis'.
Stress on 'Much'
The word 'much' usually receives the primary stress in the question.
Falling Intonation
How much is it? ↘
Standard information-seeking question.
암기하기
기억법
Think of the 'M' in Much as 'Money'. Much = Money.
시각적 연상
Imagine a giant price tag hanging off a single apple (How much is...?) and then a single price tag hanging off a bunch of bananas (How much are...?).
Rhyme
One thing is 'is', many are 'are', asking for the price will take you far!
Story
A traveler enters a shop. He points to a hat and asks 'How much is this?'. The shopkeeper says '$10'. He points to two shirts and asks 'How much are these?'. The shopkeeper says '$20'. He learns that 'is' is for one and 'are' is for two.
Word Web
챌린지
Go to an online store (like Amazon) and find 3 items. Write down the question 'How much is...' for each one.
문화 노트
In most shops, prices are fixed. Asking 'How much' is just for information. Haggling is rare except at flea markets or for big purchases like cars.
In many cultures, 'How much' is the start of a negotiation. The seller might give a high price, and you are expected to counter-offer.
Informal settings often use 'How much for...' followed by the item, skipping the verb 'is' entirely.
'Much' comes from the Old English 'mycel', meaning great or large. 'How' comes from 'hu'.
대화 시작하기
How much is a cup of coffee in your city?
How much are movie tickets these days?
How much does a new iPhone cost in your country?
If you had to guess, how much is the most expensive house in your town?
일기 주제
자주 하는 실수
Test Yourself
Score: /3
연습 문제
8 exercisesHow much ___ the bananas?
How ___ is the coffee?
Find and fix the mistake:
How many is the ticket?
is / much / how / that / watch / ?
Match singular and plural forms.
Customer: Excuse me, ___ the apples? Seller: They are $2 a bag.
We use 'How many' to ask for the price of plural items.
___ ___ ___ ___ ___?
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesExcuse me, how ___ are these bananas?
How much ___ a haircut usually cost?
How many is this t-shirt?
Tell me how much the shoes is.
맞는 문장을 고르세요:
가장 정중한 질문을 고르세요:
영어로 번역해 보세요: '그 티켓들 얼마예요?'
영어로 번역해 보세요: '이 호텔 하룻밤 숙박비가 얼마인지 알려주실 수 있나요?'
단어를 올바른 순서로 배열하세요:
단어를 올바른 순서로 배열하세요:
아이템에 맞는 질문 시작구를 연결하세요:
다음 아이템/서비스와 가장 어울리는 질문을 연결하세요:
Score: /12
자주 묻는 질문 (8)
Yes, if you are pointing at an item, saying `How much?` is perfectly natural and understood in casual shopping.
In English grammar, 'money' is an uncountable noun. You count 'dollars' or 'coins', but you don't count 'moneys'. Therefore, we use `How much`.
Yes, because 'shoes' is a plural noun, you must use `are`. If you said 'How much is the pair of shoes?', you would use `is`.
There is no difference in meaning. `How much is it?` is more common and simpler for beginners. `How much does it cost?` is slightly more formal.
Yes, you use it for any uncountable quantity, like `How much water?` or `How much time?` but price is the most common use for beginners.
You can say `It is [price]` or just the price itself, like `$5`. For plural items, say `They are [price]`.
Yes, this is a very common informal way to ask for a price, especially at markets or when texting.
It's better to say `What is the price?` or `How much is it?`. Combining them as `How much is the price?` sounds a bit repetitive to native speakers.
Scaffolded Practice
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Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
¿Cuánto cuesta?
English distinguishes between countable and uncountable with different words (much/many).
Combien ça coûte ?
French 'combien' is universal; English 'how much' is specific to uncountable/price.
Wie viel kostet das?
Very similar structure, making it easy for German speakers.
いくらですか (Ikura desu ka?)
Japanese uses a dedicated word for price, whereas English uses a general quantity word.
بكم هذا؟ (Bikam hadha?)
Arabic uses a prepositional structure (with how much).
多少钱? (Duōshǎo qián?)
Chinese explicitly includes the word for 'money', which English usually omits.
