Type: interrogative pronoun (quantity, plural)
Origin: Common Urdu word used to ask about quantity, count, or number of items or people
Expanded Features:
Polarity: neutral
Tense/Aspect: present tense, questioning
Register: everyday, conversational
Pragmatic Sense: Seeks information about quantity, often in counting or measurement contexts
Sociolinguistic Note: Widely used in casual conversation, marketplaces, classrooms, and formal inquiries
Synonyms (Urdu): کیا تعداد، کتنا، کونسا عدد
Synonyms (English): how many, what number, how much
Antonyms (Urdu): کوئی نہیں، صفر، تمام
Antonyms (English): none, zero, all
Key Nuances:
Used for plural nouns (people, objects, items)
Can indicate curiosity, inquiry, or evaluation of quantity
Often paired with nouns to form questions
Usage Contexts:
Asking quantity in daily life (food, items, people)
Classroom counting or homework
Marketplaces for prices or stock
Example Sentences:
Urdu: تمہارے پاس کتنے کتابیں ہیں؟
English: How many books do you have?,
Urdu: کتنے لوگ پارٹی میں آئیں گے؟
English: How many people will come to the party?,
Urdu: کتنے دنوں میں یہ کام مکمل ہوگا؟
English: In how many days will this work be completed?
Cultural Insight: “کتنے” is an essential interrogative word in Urdu for quantification, widely used in both formal and informal contexts.
Related Terms:
کتنا (kitna): how much (singular)
تعداد (tadaad): number, quantity
عدد (adad): numeral, count