Meaning
Asking for a quantity of countable items.
Cultural Background
Finns are very literal with numbers. If you ask 'Kuinka monta?', expect a precise answer. Vague answers like 'a few' are less common than in some other cultures. In meetings, 'kuinka monta' is used to drill down into specifics. Efficiency is valued, so having the exact 'lukumäärä' (count) ready is important. When berry picking, the quantity is often measured in liters, but people still ask 'Kuinka monta litraa?' because the liter is the unit being counted. Avoid asking 'Kuinka monta euroa...?' regarding salary. It's one of the few 'taboo' quantity questions in Finland.
The Spoken Shortcut
Use 'Montako' instead of 'Kuinka monta' in 99% of spoken situations to sound more natural.
The Partitive Trap
Never use the plural form of the noun after 'monta'. It's always singular partitive!
Meaning
Asking for a quantity of countable items.
The Spoken Shortcut
Use 'Montako' instead of 'Kuinka monta' in 99% of spoken situations to sound more natural.
The Partitive Trap
Never use the plural form of the noun after 'monta'. It's always singular partitive!
Adjective Agreement
If you add an adjective (e.g., 'red apples'), remember that the adjective must also be in the partitive singular: 'Kuinka monta punaista omenaa?'
Test Yourself
Fill in the correct partitive ending for the noun.
Kuinka monta auto___ (auto) pihalla on?
The word 'auto' ends in a single vowel, so the partitive ending is '-a'.
Which question is correct for asking about the number of students?
Asking about students in a class:
Students are countable, so we use 'kuinka monta' + singular partitive 'opiskelijaa'.
Complete the dialogue with the most natural spoken form.
A: _____ omenaa haluat? B: Otan kolme.
'Montako' is the most natural spoken form for asking 'how many'.
Match the phrase to the situation.
You want to know the price of a single item vs. the number of items.
'Kuinka monta' is for counting units; 'kuinka paljon' is for mass/price.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Countable vs Uncountable
Kuinka monta? (Countable)
- • omenaa
- • autoa
- • ihmistä
Kuinka paljon? (Uncountable)
- • vettä
- • hiekkaa
- • rakkautta
Practice Bank
4 exercisesKuinka monta auto___ (auto) pihalla on?
The word 'auto' ends in a single vowel, so the partitive ending is '-a'.
Asking about students in a class:
Students are countable, so we use 'kuinka monta' + singular partitive 'opiskelijaa'.
A: _____ omenaa haluat? B: Otan kolme.
'Montako' is the most natural spoken form for asking 'how many'.
You want to know the price of a single item vs. the number of items.
'Kuinka monta' is for counting units; 'kuinka paljon' is for mass/price.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
5 questionsOnly if you are counting units like hours or days (e.g., 'Kuinka monta tuntia?'). For the general time of day, use 'Paljonko kello on?'.
Yes, it is slightly more informal but perfectly acceptable in almost all situations, including work.
'Monta' is the partitive form. In Finnish, numbers and quantity words trigger the partitive case for the thing being counted.
You can use 'Kuinka monta ihmistä?' or the more specific 'Moniko?'.
Yes, but it's often interchangeable with 'miten'. However, in the phrase 'kuinka monta', 'miten' is rarely used.
Related Phrases
kuinka paljon
similarhow much
montako
synonymhow many (spoken)
moniko
specialized formhow many of a group
kuinkas monta
variationhow many (curious)
niin monta
builds onso many
