No. 2,147 in French
combien
"How much" or "how many."
In a sentence
Combien ça coûte ?
How much does it cost?
Here, 'combien' is used as an adverb to inquire about the quantity or price of something.
Combien d'élèves sont présents aujourd'hui ?
How many students are present today?
In this sentence, 'combien' introduces a question about the number of students, and it is followed by 'de' before a noun to specify the quantity being asked.
Je sais combien il travaille dur.
I know how hard he works.
Here, 'combien' is used in a subordinate clause to describe the extent or degree of an action, emphasizing 'how much' he works.
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