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いくら
ikura
how much
この本はいくらですか。
How much is this book?
everyday
price; cost
いくらですか？
How much is it?
この服はいくらでしたか。
How much was this clothing?
Used to ask about prices in shops, markets, or online stores.
everyday
amount; quantity
いくら払えばいいですか。
How much should I pay?
いくらでも構いません。
Any amount is fine.
Used to ask or state an unspecified amount.
Pro Tip
Polite vs. Casual
In shops or formal settings, always add ですか when asking about prices (e.g., この本はいくらですか). In casual conversations with friends, you can drop ですか (e.g., これいくら？).
Word Origin
From the interrogative pronoun いくら, combining い (how) and くら (amount, quantity). The い is a variant of いか (how much), and くら is from くらい (amount).
Usage Notes
いくら is used in both formal and informal contexts. In shops, it is polite to add ですか when asking about prices (e.g., いくらですか). In casual speech, dropping ですか is common (e.g., いくら？).
Word Breakdown
い
how
rootくら
amount; quantity
root和英辞典