¿Cuánto cuesta? (How much does it cost?) is often one of the first basic Spanish phrases travelers will learn. But there are several other ways to say “how much?” in Spanish, including other questions and exclamations. Learn how to translate “how much” in Spanish in each important context to communicate clearly.
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Saying ‘how much’ in Spanish depends on context
In a list of Spanish question words, you’ll notice four similar words: ¿cuánto? / ¿cuánta? (how much) and ¿cuántos? / ¿cuántas? (how many).
| Spanish | English Meaning | When to Use It |
| ¿Cuánto? | How much | Before a verb or a masculine singular noun |
| ¿Cuánta? | How much | Before a feminine singular noun |
| ¿Cuántos? | How many | Before a masculine plural noun |
| ¿Cuántas? | How many | Before a feminine singular noun |
Don’t forget that these interrogative words all carry an accent, and all use the unique Spanish upside down question mark.
¿Cuánto? with a verb
Many Spanish verbs can pair with ¿cuánto? (how much). Find out how much something costs, weighs, or eats using ¿cuánto? (pronounced KWAHN-toh) paired with a verb. Different verbs can help you find out how much it snows, how much time something will take, or how much money in Spanish that souvenir will cost. Only the form cuánto is used before a verb, never cuánta.
| Spanish | English |
| ¿Cuánto come el perro? | How much does the dog eat? |
| ¿Cuánto cuesta el billete? | How much does a ticket cost? |
| ¿Cuánto le debo? | How much do I owe you? |
| ¿Cuánto nieva/llueve en Nueva York? | How much does it snow/rain in New York? |
| ¿Cuánto pesa la maleta? | How much does the suitcase weigh? |
| ¿Cuánto quieres? | How much do you want? |
| ¿Cuánto te duele? | How much does it hurt? |
| ¿Cuánto te falta para terminar? | How much do you have left to finish? |
| ¿Cuánto vale? | How much is it worth? |
¿Cuánto? with a masculine singular noun
When this interrogative is followed by a noun, it follows rules just like Spanish adjectives do: The form has to agree in gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) with the noun it is modifying.
Some nombres no contables (uncountable nouns), like liquids, dry ingredients, or abstract concepts, use a singular form. For example, to ask “how much money” in Spanish, you use the uncountable noun dinero (money). You need measurements or specific quantities to use these nouns in the plural, such as tres botellas de vino (three bottles of wine).
- ¿Cuánto vino debería comprar? = How much wine should I buy?
- ¿Cuánto dinero en efectivo necesitas? = How much cash do you need?
- ¿Cuánto tiempo tienes? = How much time do you have?
¿Cuánta? with a feminine singular noun
How do you say “how much” in Spanish if the singular noun is feminine? Use ¿cuánta? when the singular uncountable noun is feminine.
- ¿Cuánta leche tenemos? = How much milk do we have?
- ¿Cuánta nieve hay en España? = How much snow is there in Spain?
- ¿Cuánta información encontraste? = How much information did you find?
¿Cuántos/cuántas? with plural nouns
If a noun is used in the plural, it’s generally considered countable, meaning you can count the number of items (nails vs. time). In English, we would translate this as “how many” instead of “how much.” Use the masculine plural ¿cuántos? or the feminine plural ¿cuántas? depending on the gender of the noun they are asking about.
- ¿Cuántos alumnos hay en la clase? = How many students are in the class?
- ¿Cuántos países visitaste? = How many countries did you visit?
- ¿Cuántas camisas vas a comprar? = How many shirts are you going to buy?
- ¿Cuántas manzanas quieres? = How many apples do you want?
>>Learn about countable and uncountable and other categories of Spanish nouns to better understand the language.
‘How much’ in Spanish used as an exclamation
A way to show emphasis, emotion, or surprise is to use the expression ¡cuánto! or ¡cuánta! to say “how much” in Spanish. In this case, you’re not really asking a question. The English meaning “how much” could also be translated as “what a lot of” or “so much!” Remember to follow Spanish grammar rules and use the correct form depending on whether it’s followed by a verb (always cuánto), or a masculine or feminine noun.
- ¡Cuánto café tomas! = How much coffee you drink!
- ¡Cuánto has crecido! = How much you’ve grown!
- ¡Cuánto te quiero! = How much I love you!
- ¡Cuánto tiempo! = It’s been so long since I’ve seen you! (How much time!)
- ¡Cuánta gente! = So crowded! (How many people!)
- ¡Cuánta suerte! = How lucky! (How much luck!)
Always remember how to ask ‘how much’ in Spanish
The little differences among ¿cuánto? and its similar forms are easy to understand if you combine authentic contexts with solid instruction in the rules of Spanish. If you use Rosetta Stone’s all-in-one app, you can notice these patterns and exceptions in features like Phrasebook or Stories. Seeing the forms of “how much in Spanish” and using them in practice will help them stick in your mind so you’ll know how to ask the right questions.
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