Asking "How Much" (Kitna)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'kitna' to ask 'how much' or 'how many', but remember to change its ending to match the noun's gender and number.
- Use 'kitna' (masculine singular) for masculine singular nouns: 'Kitna doodh?' (How much milk?)
- Use 'kitni' (feminine) for all feminine nouns: 'Kitni chai?' (How much tea?)
- Use 'kitne' (masculine plural) for masculine plural nouns: 'Kitne paise?' (How much money?)
Overview
Kitna (कितना) serves as the fundamental interrogative adjective in Hindi, directly translating to "how much" or "how many." Unlike English, which distinguishes between countables and uncountables with "how many" and "how much," Hindi employs a single root word, kitna, adapting its form based on the noun it modifies. This adaptability makes kitna indispensable for A2 learners navigating daily interactions, from transactional inquiries to gauging quantities in casual conversation.
The core linguistic principle governing kitna is agreement. As an adjective, it must align with the gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural) of the noun it quantifies. Understanding this agreement is not merely about memorizing forms but grasping a pervasive pattern in Hindi grammar that extends to many other adjectives and verbs.
Mastery of kitna thus provides a foundational understanding of Hindi's inflectional system, crucial for sounding natural and precise.
In practical terms, kitna allows you to inquire about the quantity of almost anything: कितना दूध? (kitnā dūdh? – how much milk?), कितने लोग? (kitne log? – how many people?), or कितनी किताबें? (kitnī kitābē̃? – how many books?). This adaptability is a hallmark of Hindi, where context and grammatical agreement often convey nuances expressed by distinct words in other languages.
How This Grammar Works
Kitna functions as a variable adjective in Hindi, a category of words that change their endings to agree with the noun they describe. Specifically, it belongs to the class of adjectives ending in -ā (आ) in their masculine singular direct form, much like अच्छा (accha – good), बड़ा (baṛā – big), or ऊँचा (ū̃cā – high). These adjectives inflect to -e (ए) for masculine plural and oblique cases, and to -ī (ई) for all feminine instances (singular, plural, direct, and oblique).kitna, you are essentially asking for the quantity of a noun, and that quantity must be expressed in a way that respects the noun's inherent grammatical properties. For instance, दूध (dūdh – milk) is masculine singular, so you ask कितना दूध? (kitnā dūdh?).चाय (chāy – tea) is feminine, necessitating कितनी चाय? (kitnī chāy?).kitna also interacts with the oblique case. The oblique case in Hindi is triggered when a noun is followed by a postposition (e.g., को ko, से se, में mẽ, पर par, का kā). When the noun kitna modifies enters the oblique case, kitna itself also takes its oblique form.kitna becomes kitne. For feminine nouns, kitni remains kitni, as feminine adjectives do not change for the oblique case. This systematic inflection ensures grammatical harmony across the phrase.कितना समय लगेगा? (kitnā samay lagegā? – How much time will it take? – samay is masculine singular direct). But if you ask कितने बजे आओगे? (kitne baje āoge? – At what time will you come?baje is the oblique form of bajā bajā, hour, thus kitna becomes kitne). The adjective form subtly reflects the noun's grammatical role within the sentence, even when the noun itself has undergone an oblique transformation.Formation Pattern
kitna requires understanding its three primary forms: kitna, kitne, and kitni. These forms are determined by the gender and number of the noun being questioned, as well as its grammatical case (direct or oblique). Kitna always precedes the noun it modifies, acting as a direct quantifier.
kitna:
कितना पानी? (kitnā pānī?) | How much water? |
कितना समय? (kitnā samay?) | How much time? |
कितने बच्चे? (kitne bacce?) | How many children? |
कितने रुपये? (kitne rupaye?) | How many rupees? |
का, को, से, में). The noun itself often changes to an -e ending in oblique case. | कितने कमरे में? (kitne kamre mẽ?) | In how many rooms? (Referring to one room's capacity) |
कितने बजे? (kitne baje?) | At what time? |
-õ ending. | कितने लोगों के लिए? (kitne logõ ke lie?) | For how many people? |
कितने दिनों से? (kitne dinõ se?) | Since how many days? |
कितनी चाय? (kitnī chāy?) | How much tea? |
कितनी किताबें? (kitnī kitābē̃?) | How many books? |
कितनी गाड़ियों से? (kitnī gāṛiyõ se?) | By how many cars? |
kitne is particularly important. When kitna modifies a masculine noun that is followed by a postposition, kitna must take its oblique form, kitne. For masculine singular nouns like कमरा (kamrā – room), it becomes कमरे (kamre) in the oblique, hence कितने कमरे में? (kitne kamre mẽ? – in how many rooms?). For masculine plural nouns, an -õ suffix is often added to the noun (e.g., लोग log – people becomes लोगों logõ), and kitna still takes the kitne form: कितने लोगों को? (kitne logõ ko? – to how many people?). Feminine nouns simplify this; kitni remains kitni in all contexts.
When To Use It
Kitna is a highly versatile interrogative adjective, essential for a wide array of inquiries and expressions in Hindi. Its usage spans direct questions about quantity to more nuanced exclamatory statements about degree.- Inquiring about Quantity (Countable and Uncountable Nouns)
kitna. Whether you're asking about discrete items or continuous amounts, kitna is your go-to word.आपके पास कितने दोस्त हैं?(āpke pās kitne dost haĩ? – How many friends do you have? –dost(friend) is masculine plural, hencekitne.)आपको आज कितनी नींद आई?(āpko āj kitnī nīnd āī? – How much sleep did you get today? –nīnd(sleep) is feminine, hencekitni.)यहाँ कितना शोर है?(yahā̃ kitnā śor hai? – How much noise is here? –śor(noise) is masculine singular, hencekitna.)
- Inquiring about Price or Cost
Kitna is indispensable in transactional contexts. This often involves the oblique case because price inquiries frequently use postpositions like का (kā – of).यह कितने का है?(yah kitne kā hai? – How much is this? –kitneis oblique, implying "of how many [rupees]" or "of what amount.")इन जूतों का कितना दाम है?(in jūtõ kā kitnā dām hai? – How much is the price of these shoes? –dām(price) is masculine singular, hencekitnawithdām.)इस बोतल की कितनी क़ीमत है?(is botal kī kitnī qīmat hai? – What is the price of this bottle? –qīmat(price) is feminine, hencekitni.)
- Inquiring about Time, Duration, and Distance
kitna.काम ख़त्म करने में कितना समय लगेगा?(kām khatm karne mẽ kitnā samay lagegā? – How much time will it take to finish the work? –samay(time) is masculine singular.)यहाँ से स्टेशन कितनी दूर है?(yahā̃ se steśan kitnī dūr hai? – How far is the station from here? –dūr(distance) is feminine, hencekitni.)आप कितने बजे मिलोगे?(āp kitne baje miloge? – At what time will you meet? –bajeis the oblique ofbajā(hour), hencekitne.)
- Exclamations of Degree
Kitna can intensify adjectives or adverbs, expressingKitna Agreement Table
| Form | Noun Gender | Noun Number | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Kitna
|
Masculine
|
Singular
|
Kitna doodh
|
|
Kitni
|
Feminine
|
Singular/Plural
|
Kitni chai
|
|
Kitne
|
Masculine
|
Plural
|
Kitne dost
|
Meanings
Used to inquire about the quantity or amount of a noun. It functions as an interrogative adjective.
Uncountable Quantity
Asking about mass nouns (liquid, abstract, bulk).
“कितना समय बचा है? (Kitna samay bacha hai?)”
“कितना काम है? (Kitna kaam hai?)”
Countable Plural
Asking about countable items in plural form.
“कितने लोग आए हैं? (Kitne log aaye hain?)”
“कितने सेब चाहिए? (Kitne seb chahiye?)”
Feminine Quantity
Asking about feminine nouns regardless of countability.
“कितनी चीनी चाहिए? (Kitni cheeni chahiye?)”
“कितनी किताबें हैं? (Kitni kitabein hain?)”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Kitna + Noun + Hai
|
Kitna doodh hai?
|
|
Negative
|
Kitna + Noun + Nahi Hai
|
Kitna doodh nahi hai?
|
|
Question
|
Kitna + Noun + Chahiye?
|
Kitna doodh chahiye?
|
|
Plural
|
Kitne + Noun + Hain
|
Kitne log hain?
|
|
Feminine
|
Kitni + Noun + Hai
|
Kitni chai hai?
|
|
Past
|
Kitna + Noun + Tha
|
Kitna kaam tha?
|
Formality Spectrum
यह कितने का है? (Shopping)
यह कितने का है? (Shopping)
कितने का है? (Shopping)
कितने का पड़ा? (Shopping)
Kitna Agreement Map
Masculine Singular
- Kitna Amount
Feminine
- Kitni Amount/Count
Masculine Plural
- Kitne Count
Gender Agreement
Examples by Level
कितना पानी?
How much water?
कितनी चाय?
How much tea?
कितने सेब?
How many apples?
कितना दूध?
How much milk?
आपको कितना समय चाहिए?
How much time do you need?
कितनी किताबें खरीदीं?
How many books did you buy?
कितने लोग आए थे?
How many people came?
कितनी चीनी डालूँ?
How much sugar should I add?
उसने कितनी मेहनत की?
How much hard work did he do?
कितने पैसे खर्च हुए?
How much money was spent?
कितना शोर है यहाँ!
How much noise is there here!
कितनी बार कहा है?
How many times have I told you?
कितने प्रतिशत अंक मिले?
What percentage of marks did you get?
कितनी दूर है स्टेशन?
How far is the station?
कितना अनुभव है आपको?
How much experience do you have?
कितने विकल्प उपलब्ध हैं?
How many options are available?
कितनी जटिलता है इस समस्या में?
How much complexity is in this problem?
कितना प्रभाव पड़ा निर्णय का?
How much impact did the decision have?
कितने आयाम हैं इसके?
How many dimensions does this have?
कितनी संवेदनशीलता की आवश्यकता है?
How much sensitivity is required?
कितना औचित्य है इस तर्क का?
How much justification is there for this argument?
कितनी विसंगतियाँ पाई गई हैं?
How many discrepancies have been found?
कितने प्रतिमान बदले हैं?
How many paradigms have changed?
कितना विरोधाभास है इसमें?
How much contradiction is in this?
Easily Confused
Learners mix up quantity and identity.
Both relate to quantity.
Using singular for plural nouns.
Common Mistakes
Kitna chai?
Kitni chai?
Kitna log?
Kitne log?
Kitni doodh?
Kitna doodh?
Kitna kitabein?
Kitni kitabein?
Kitna paise?
Kitne paise?
Kitni kaam?
Kitna kaam?
Kitne pani?
Kitna pani?
Kitna baje?
Kitne baje?
Kitni samay?
Kitna samay?
Kitne shanti?
Kitni shanti?
Kitna himmat?
Kitni himmat?
Kitne prabhav?
Kitna prabhav?
Kitni prayas?
Kitna prayas?
Kitne gyan?
Kitna gyan?
Sentence Patterns
___ ___ chahiye?
___ ___ hai?
___ ___ lagega?
___ ___ ki zaroorat hai?
Real World Usage
Yeh kitne ka hai?
Kitni chai chahiye?
Kitni door hai?
Kitna samay lagega?
Kitne likes mile?
Kitna bill hua?
Check the Noun
Plural Trap
Listen to Natives
Politeness
Smart Tips
Use 'Kitne ka' for price.
Use 'Kitne baje' for time.
Listen to the verb ending.
Use 'Kitni door'.
Pronunciation
Nasalization
The 'n' in kitna is soft. Ensure the tongue touches the roof of the mouth.
Stress
Stress the first syllable.
Question Rising
Kitna doodh? ↗
Standard inquiry.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Kitna, Kitni, Kitne—match the ending to the noun, just like a key to a door.
Visual Association
Imagine a scale. On the left, a heavy jug (Masculine: Kitna). On the right, a delicate teacup (Feminine: Kitni). In the middle, a group of friends (Masculine Plural: Kitne).
Rhyme
Kitna for the boy, Kitni for the girl, Kitne for the many, around the world.
Story
Rohan went to the market. He asked 'Kitna doodh?' (masculine). Then he asked 'Kitni cheeni?' (feminine). Finally, he asked 'Kitne seb?' (plural). The shopkeeper smiled because Rohan got all his agreements right.
Word Web
Challenge
Look around your room and ask 'How much/many' for 5 items using the correct kitna/kitni/kitne form.
Cultural Notes
In markets, 'Kitna?' is often used alone to ask the price.
Use 'Kitni matra' for formal quantity inquiries.
Youth often use 'Kitne ka' for price.
Derived from Sanskrit 'kiyat' (how much).
Conversation Starters
Aaj kitna kaam hai?
Aapko kitni chai chahiye?
Kitne log party mein aa rahe hain?
Is project mein kitna samay lagega?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
___ doodh chahiye?
___ chai bani hai?
Find and fix the mistake:
Kitna kitabein hai?
Kitna seb chahiye? (to plural)
A: ___ paise hue? B: 100 rupaye.
Sort: Doodh, Chai, Log
___ samay lagega?
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercises___ doodh chahiye?
___ chai bani hai?
Find and fix the mistake:
Kitna kitabein hai?
Kitna seb chahiye? (to plural)
A: ___ paise hue? B: 100 rupaye.
Sort: Doodh, Chai, Log
___ samay lagega?
Match: Pani, Gaadi, Dost
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercisesRoom mein ___ log hain?
Tumhe ___ bhookh lagi hai?
Ye movie kitna lamba hai?
How much milk?
Match gender/number
What a view!
Aapki umar ___ hai?
hain / gadiyan / wahan / kitni ?
Aapki kitna beta hai?
Delhi yahan se ___ door hai?
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
Hindi grammar treats all feminine nouns as taking the 'kitni' form, regardless of whether they are singular or plural.
No, that will sound incorrect to native speakers. You must match the gender and number.
Yes, 'Kitni door hai?' is how you ask how far something is.
Most nouns ending in 'aa' are masculine, but there are exceptions. It's best to learn the gender with the noun.
The word itself doesn't change, but the surrounding sentence structure (like using 'aap') makes it formal.
Try to use the masculine singular 'kitna' as a default, but try to learn the correct gender as soon as possible.
Kitna is for questions, while 'jitna' is for statements like 'as much as'.
Yes, but for A2 level, focus on the nominative form first.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Cuánto/Cuánta/Cuántos/Cuántas
Spanish has four forms; Hindi has three.
Combien de
French does not change based on gender.
Wie viel
German does not use gender agreement for this.
Ikura / Ikutsu
No gender agreement.
Kam
No gender agreement for 'how much'.
Duoshao / Ji
No gender agreement.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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