- Meaning
- The Russian word "сколько" (skol'ko) is a versatile interrogative pronoun that translates directly to "how much" or "how many" in English. It is used to inquire about quantity, amount, or number.
- Usage
- It is one of the most fundamental question words in Russian, essential for basic communication. You will encounter "сколько" in everyday conversations, from asking about the price of an item to inquiring about the number of people present.
Сколько это стоит? (Skol'ko eto stoit?) - How much does this cost?
Сколько у тебя братьев? (Skol'ko u tebya bratyev?) - How many brothers do you have?
- Grammar Note
- When asking "how many," the noun following "сколько" will be in the genitive plural if the number is greater than four. For numbers one, two, three, and four, the case of the noun changes. For example, "один" (one) is followed by the nominative singular, "два" (two) and "три" (three) by the genitive singular, and "четыре" (four) by the genitive singular as well. For numbers five and above, the genitive plural is used. This grammatical nuance is crucial for accurate usage.
Сколько книг ты прочитал? (Skol'ko knig ty prochital?) - How many books have you read?
- Contexts
- You'll hear "сколько" in markets when buying goods, in restaurants when ordering food, when discussing travel plans, when asking about time, and in many other everyday scenarios. It's a foundational word for any Russian learner.
- Asking About Price
- The most common use of "сколько" is to ask about the price of something. In this context, it's usually followed by "это" (this/it) and the verb "стоит" (costs).
Сколько это стоит? (Skol'ko eto stoit?) - How much does this cost?
- Asking About Quantity (Countable)
- When asking about the number of countable items, "сколько" is followed by the noun in the genitive plural (for numbers 5 and above) or genitive singular (for numbers 2-4). For the number one, the nominative singular is used.
Сколько студентов в аудитории? (Skol'ko studentov v auditorii?) - How many students are in the auditorium?
- Asking About Quantity (Uncountable)
- For uncountable nouns like water, time, or information, "сколько" is used with the genitive singular form of the noun.
Сколько времени у тебя есть? (Skol'ko vremeni u tebya yest'?) - How much time do you have?
- Asking About Age
- To ask someone's age, you use "сколько" followed by "лет" (years).
Сколько тебе лет? (Skol'ko tebe let?) - How old are you?
- Asking About Distance or Duration
- "Сколько" can also be used to inquire about distances or durations.
Сколько километров до города? (Skol'ko kilometrov do goroda?) - How many kilometers to the city?
Сколько продлится встреча? (Skol'ko prodlitsya vstrecha?) - How long will the meeting last?
- Marketplaces and Shops
- This is perhaps the most frequent place you'll hear "сколько." When you point to an item and want to know its price, the immediate question is "Сколько это стоит?" (How much does this cost?). Vendors will respond with prices, often using numbers that you'll need to understand.
Покупатель: Здравствуйте! Сколько стоит этот хлеб? (Buyer: Hello! How much does this bread cost?)
Продавец: Этот хлеб стоит пятьдесят рублей. (Seller: This bread costs fifty rubles.)
- Restaurants and Cafes
- When ordering food or drinks, you might ask about quantities or prices. "Сколько" is used to inquire about the number of servings or the cost of a dish.
Официант: Сколько порций вам принести? (Waiter: How many portions should I bring you?)
Клиент: Мне, пожалуйста, две порции салата. (Client: For me, please, two portions of salad.)
- Public Transportation and Travel
- When traveling, you'll use "сколько" to ask about ticket prices, the number of stops, or the duration of a journey.
Пассажир: Сколько стоит билет до Москвы? (Passenger: How much does a ticket to Moscow cost?)
Кассир: Билет стоит тысячу двести рублей. (Cashier: The ticket costs one thousand two hundred rubles.)
- Everyday Conversations
- In casual conversations, people use "сколько" to ask about quantities of items, time, age, or even abstract concepts like happiness or effort.
Друг: Сколько у тебя друзей в этом городе? (Friend: How many friends do you have in this city?)
Друг: Сколько тебе лет? (Friend: How old are you?)
- Incorrect Case Usage
- A very common mistake for beginners is using the wrong case for the noun following "сколько." As mentioned, "сколько" typically requires the genitive case. For countable nouns, it's the genitive plural for numbers five and above, and the genitive singular for numbers two through four. For one, it's the nominative singular. For uncountable nouns, it's the genitive singular. Incorrectly using the nominative case or other cases can lead to misunderstandings.
Incorrect: Сколько книга на столе? (Skol'ko kniga na stole?)
Correct: Сколько книг на столе? (Skol'ko knig na stole? - How many books are on the table?)
- Confusing "Сколько" with "Как"
- Learners sometimes confuse "сколько" (how much/many) with "как" (how). While both are interrogative adverbs, they ask about different things. "Как" asks about manner or quality, while "сколько" asks about quantity.
Incorrect: Как это стоит? (Kak eto stoit? - How does this cost? - grammatically awkward and unclear)
Correct: Сколько это стоит? (Skol'ko eto stoit? - How much does this cost?)
- Using it in Statements
- "Сколько" is primarily an interrogative word. Using it in a declarative sentence without the context of a question can sound unnatural or grammatically incorrect. For example, saying "Я знаю сколько" (I know how much) is less common than phrasing it as a reported question or rephrasing the statement entirely.
Less natural: Я знаю сколько денег у него. (Ya znayu skol'ko deneg u nego.)
More natural: Я знаю, сколько денег у него. (Ya znayu, skol'ko deneg u nego. - I know how much money he has. - with a comma indicating a subordinate clause)
- Forgetting "Стоит" when asking price
- When asking for the price of an item, it's very common to omit "это" (this/it) but forgetting "стоит" (costs) makes the question incomplete and grammatically incorrect.
Incorrect: Сколько это?
Correct: Сколько это стоит?
- Сколько (Skol'ko)
- This is the primary word for asking "how much" or "how many." It's a general-purpose interrogative pronoun used for both countable and uncountable nouns, and to inquire about price, time, age, distance, etc. It always asks for a quantity or amount.
- Какая цена? (Kakaya tsena?)
- This phrase translates to "What is the price?" It's a more specific way to ask about cost and is a direct alternative to "Сколько это стоит?" when inquiring about the price of a particular item.
Alternative: Какая цена этого яблока? (Kakaya tsena etogo yabloka?) - What is the price of this apple?
- Сколько раз? (Skol'ko raz?)
- This specifically asks "how many times?" It's a specialized usage of "сколько" combined with the word "раз" (times). It's not a general alternative but a specific query about frequency.
Specific question: Сколько раз ты был в Москве? (Skol'ko raz ty byl v Moskve?) - How many times have you been to Moscow?
- Какой? (Kakoy?)
- This word means "what kind of?" or "which?" It's important not to confuse it with "сколько." "Какой" asks about quality or type, not quantity. For example, "Какой цвет тебе нравится?" (What color do you like?) versus "Сколько цветов ты знаешь?" (How many colors do you know?).
Asking about type: Какой у тебя телефон? (Kakoy u tebya telefon?) - What kind of phone do you have?
- Сколько-нибудь (Skol'ko-nibud')
- This is an indefinite pronoun meaning "any" or "some" (in a question or negative context). It's used when you're asking if there's a quantity, however small, of something. It's less direct than a simple "сколько?"
Asking about existence of quantity: У тебя есть сколько-нибудь денег? (U tebya yest' skol'ko-nibud' deneg?) - Do you have any money?
مثالها بر اساس سطح
Сколько это стоит?
How much does this cost?
Basic question about price, using "сколько" with "это" and "стоит".
Сколько яблок?
How many apples?
Simple question about quantity of countable noun, noun in genitive plural.
Сколько времени?
What time is it?
Asking for the time, using "сколько" with the genitive singular of "время".
Сколько тебе лет?
How old are you?
Standard question for age, using "сколько" with "тебе" and "лет".
Сколько здесь людей?
How many people are here?
Asking about the number of people, noun in genitive plural.
Сколько комнат в квартире?
How many rooms are in the apartment?
Asking about the number of rooms, noun in genitive plural.
Сколько сахара нужно?
How much sugar is needed?
Asking about an uncountable noun, noun in genitive singular.
Сколько километров до центра?
How many kilometers to the center?
Asking about distance, noun in genitive plural.
Сколько стоит билет на поезд?
How much does a train ticket cost?
Asking for the price of a specific item (ticket).
Сколько у тебя денег?
How much money do you have?
Asking about an uncountable noun (money) in the genitive singular.
Сколько человек будет на вечеринке?
How many people will be at the party?
Asking about the number of people in the future, noun in genitive plural.
Сколько длится этот фильм?
How long does this movie last?
Asking about duration, using "сколько" with the verb "длится".
Сколько раз вы здесь были?
How many times have you been here?
Asking about frequency, using "сколько" with "раз".
Сколько воды в бутылке?
How much water is in the bottle?
Asking about an uncountable noun (water) in the genitive singular.
Сколько стоит обед?
How much does lunch cost?
Asking for the price of a meal.
Сколько часов до отлёта?
How many hours until departure?
Asking about remaining time, noun in genitive plural.
Сколько лет вы изучаете русский язык?
How many years have you been studying Russian?
Asking about duration of an activity, noun in genitive plural.
Сколько времени занимает дорога до аэропорта?
How much time does the journey to the airport take?
Asking about time taken for a journey, noun in genitive singular.
Сколько примерно стоит такая поездка?
Approximately how much does such a trip cost?
Asking for an approximate price, using "сколько" with "примерно".
Сколько стоит снять квартиру в этом районе?
How much does it cost to rent an apartment in this area?
Asking about the cost of a service/rental, noun in genitive singular.
Сколько дней вы планируете остаться?
How many days do you plan to stay?
Asking about the number of days for a stay, noun in genitive plural.
Сколько человек нужно для игры?
How many people are needed for the game?
Asking about the required number of participants, noun in genitive plural.
Сколько стоит чашка кофе с собой?
How much does a cup of coffee to go cost?
Asking for the price of a specific item with a modifier.
Сколько километров отсюда до ближайшей станции метро?
How many kilometers from here to the nearest metro station?
Asking about distance to a specific location.
Сколько вы готовы потратить на этот проект?
How much are you willing to spend on this project?
Asking about a budget or expenditure, using "сколько" with a verb of spending.
Сколько времени уходит на подготовку отчёта?
How much time does it take to prepare the report?
Asking about the time investment for a task.
Сколько студентов успешно сдали экзамен в прошлом году?
How many students successfully passed the exam last year?
Asking about a specific past statistic, noun in genitive plural.
Сколько процентов населения пользуется интернетом?
What percentage of the population uses the internet?
Asking about a percentage, using "сколько" with "процентов".
Сколько стоит оформить визу для этой страны?
How much does it cost to obtain a visa for this country?
Asking about the cost of a formal process.
Сколько человек вмещает этот зал?
How many people does this hall accommodate?
Asking about capacity, noun in genitive plural.
Сколько времени требуется, чтобы привыкнуть к новому климату?
How much time does it take to get used to the new climate?
Asking about the time needed for adaptation.
Сколько примерно стоит такая квартира в центре города?
Approximately how much does such an apartment in the city center cost?
Asking for an approximate price of real estate.
Сколько усилий было приложено для достижения этой цели?
How much effort was put into achieving this goal?
Asking about abstract quantity (effort), noun in genitive singular.
Сколько времени займёт разработка нового программного обеспечения?
How much time will the development of new software take?
Asking about project timelines for complex tasks.
Сколько процентов населения имеют высшее образование?
What percentage of the population has higher education?
Asking for statistical data related to education.
Сколько часов в неделю вы уделяете самообразованию?
How many hours per week do you dedicate to self-education?
Asking about time allocation for personal development.
Сколько человек было задействовано в проведении исследования?
How many people were involved in conducting the research?
Asking about the number of personnel in a specific professional context.
Сколько стоит эквивалент этой услуги в долларах?
How much is the equivalent of this service in dollars?
Asking for a price conversion.
Сколько времени занимает адаптация к новой культурной среде?
How much time does it take to adapt to a new cultural environment?
Asking about the duration of cultural acclimatization.
Сколько человек из вашей команды владеют этим навыком?
How many people from your team possess this skill?
Asking about the prevalence of a specific skill within a group.
Сколько существует теорий, объясняющих это явление?
How many theories exist that explain this phenomenon?
Asking about the number of abstract concepts (theories).
محتوای مرتبط
قواعد دستوری مرتبط
عبارات مرتبط
واژههای بیشتر general
абсолютно
A2absolutely, completely
абсолютный
B1مطلق، کامل، تام. برای تأکید بر حالتی که هیچ شک و تردیدی در آن وجود ندارد، استفاده می شود. به عنوان مثال، 'حقیقت مطلق'.
авторитетный
C1معتبر، دارای اقتدار علمی یا حرفهای.
адаптация
B1انطباق فرآیند سازگاری با شرایط جدید است. انطباق با فرهنگ جدید زمانبر است.
адаптировать
C1To make something suitable for a new use
адекватный
B21. این یک راه حل مناسب برای مشکل است. (This is an adequate solution for the problem.) 2. واکنش او کاملاً مناسب بود. (His reaction was quite adequate.)
азиатский
B1آسیایی. مثال: کشورهای آسیایی در حال توسعه هستند. (Asian countries are developing.)
активизация
C1فرایند فعالتر شدن یا تشدید فعالیتها و تلاشها.
активизировать
B2دولت تصمیم گرفت اصلاحات اقتصادی را فعال کند.
активно
B2او <span class='italic'>فعالانه</span> روی پروژه کار می کند.
