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how much
/haʊ mʌtʃ/
quantity of something uncountable
How much sugar do you want in your coffee?
A question asking for the quantity of an uncountable substance (sugar).
neutral
Used to ask about the quantity, amount, or extent of something uncountable
How much money did you spend on the trip?
A question asking for the total amount of money spent.
She asked me how much time I had left.
A question about the remaining duration of time.
Used for uncountable nouns (e.g., water, money, time). For countable nouns, use 'how many'.
neutral
To what extent or degree
How much do you care about this project?
A question asking about the level of concern or interest.
Often used in rhetorical questions or to express surprise.
Collocations
how much is it?a question asking for the price of somethinghow much do you want?a question asking for the desired quantity
Antonyms
Pro Tip
Countable vs. Uncountable Nouns
Use 'how much' for uncountable nouns (e.g., water, money, time) and 'how many' for countable nouns (e.g., apples, books, people).
Gold Rule
Question Formation
In questions, 'how much' is followed by an uncountable noun or a verb phrase to ask about quantity or degree.
Word Origin
From Old English 'hū' (how) + 'mycel' (much), combining to mean 'in what quantity'.
Usage Notes
Always used with uncountable nouns. For countable nouns, use 'how many'. Can also function as an adverb to ask about degree.
Word Breakdown
how
in what manner or to what extent
adverbmuch
a large amount of something uncountable
quantifierEnglish Dictionary