कितना (kitnaa)

adjective/pronoun/adverb An interrogative/exclamatory word meaning 'how much/how many' as a question, and 'how (much)!' as an exclamation of degree; agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies or stands for.

Sense 1 : how much / how many (interrogative)

adjective, masculine/feminine Agrees in gender/number with the noun: कितना पानी (kitnaa paanii, how much water), कितनी किताबें (kitnii kitaaben, how many books).

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: This is the go-to word for asking price, quantity, distance, or age -- यह कितने का है (yah kitne kaa hai, 'how much is this for') is one of the most common phrases you will hear in any Indian market or shop.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often use कितना (kitnaa) for both countable and uncountable nouns without adjusting gender/number agreement -- remember it changes form: कितना, कितनी, कितने (kitnaa, kitnii, kitne). 2) For asking someone's age, the natural frame is आपकी उम्र कितनी है (aapkii umr kitnii hai, 'what is your age'), not a literal 'how old' construction.

Sample Sentences:

यह कितने का है? How much is this for?

(yah kitne kaa hai?)

आपकी उम्र कितनी है? What is your age?

(aapkii umr kitnii hai?)

यहाँ से स्टेशन कितना दूर है? How far is the station from here?

(yahaan se steshan kitnaa door hai?)

तुमने कितने आम खरीदे? How many mangoes did you buy?

(tumne kitne aam khariide?)

पार्टी में कितने लोग आएँगे? How many people will come to the party?

(paartii men kitne log aaenge?)

इस काम में कितना समय लगता है? How much time does this work take?

(is kaam men kitnaa samay lagtaa hai?)

कृपया बताइए कि कमरे में कितने बिस्तर हैं। Please tell me how many beds there are in the room.

(kripyaa bataaie ki kamre men kitne bistar hain।)

अगर मुझे पता होता कि सामान कितना महँगा है, तो मैं यहाँ न आता। If I had known how expensive the goods were, I would not have come here.

(agar mujhe pataa hotaa ki saamaan kitnaa mahangaa hai, to main yahaan n aataa।)

पहले यह पूछ लो कि टिकट कितने की है, फिर लाइन में लगो। First ask how much the ticket costs, then get in line.

(pahle yah poochh lo ki tikat kitne kii hai, phir laain men lago।)

मुझे नहीं पता कि इस पद के लिए कितने उम्मीदवार आवेदन करेंगे। I don't know how many candidates will apply for this position.

(mujhe nahiin pataa ki is pad ke lie kitne ummiidvaar aavedan karenge।)

यह निबंध कितने पन्नों में लिखा गया था? In how many pages was this essay written?

(yah nibandh kitne pannon men likhaa gayaa thaa?)

Sense 2 : how much (standing alone, referring to an unspecified quantity)

pronoun, masculine/feminine Used without an accompanying noun when the quantity referred to is understood from context, e.g. इसमें से कितना बचा है (ismen se kitnaa bachaa hai, 'how much of this is left').

Frequency: medium

Cultural Note: This pronoun use overlaps closely with its adjective sense; think of it as कितना (kitnaa) 'standing in' for a noun already mentioned or implied in the conversation.

Sample Sentences:

यह कितने का है? How much is this (for)?

(yah kitne kaa hai?)

मुझे नहीं पता कि कितना बचा है। I don't know how much is left.

(mujhe nahiin pataa ki kitnaa bachaa hai।)

उसने बताया नहीं कि कितना खर्च हुआ। He didn't say how much was spent.

(usne bataayaa nahiin ki kitnaa kharch huaa।)

जितना दिया जाए, उतना ले लो, कितना है यह मत पूछो। Take whatever is given, don't ask how much it is.

(jitnaa diyaa jaae, utnaa le lo, kitnaa hai yah mat poochho।)

अगर मुझे पता होता कि कितना चाहिए, तो मैं पहले ही ले आता। If I had known how much was needed, I would have brought it already.

(agar mujhe pataa hotaa ki kitnaa chaahie, to main pahle hii le aataa।)

कितना काफी होगा, यह अभी तय नहीं है। How much will be enough, that isn't decided yet.

(kitnaa kaaphii hogaa, yah abhii tay nahiin hai।)

शायद उसे भी नहीं पता कि कितना सही है। Maybe even he doesn't know how much is correct.

(shaayad use bhii nahiin pataa ki kitnaa sahii hai।)

आटा तो रखा है, बस यह देख लो कि कितना बचा है। The flour is there, just check how much is left.

(aataa to rakhaa hai, bas yah dekh lo ki kitnaa bachaa hai।)

अनुमान यह था कि नुकसान कितना हुआ होगा। The estimate was about how much the loss might have been.

(anumaan yah thaa ki nuksaan kitnaa huaa hogaa।)

Sense 3 : how (much), to what degree -- in exclamations

adverb Functions as an intensifier in exclamatory sentences, typically with an adjective: कितना अच्छा है (kitnaa achchhaa hai, 'how good it is!').

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: This is the Hindi equivalent of starting a sentence with 'How...!' in English -- कितना प्यारा बच्चा है (kitnaa pyaaraa bachchaa hai, 'what a lovely child!') is exactly the kind of warm exclamation you will hear from aunties admiring a baby.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes forget the exclamatory tone requires no question mark or interrogative word order -- कितना अच्छा है! (kitnaa achchhaa hai!, 'how nice!') is a statement of emotion, not a question, even though कितना (kitnaa) looks interrogative.

Sample Sentences:

कितना प्यारा बच्चा है! What a lovely child!

(kitnaa pyaaraa bachchaa hai!)

कितनी अच्छी खबर है! What great news!

(kitnii achchhii khabar hai!)

कितना सुंदर नज़ारा था वो! What a beautiful view that was!

(kitnaa sundar nazaaraa thaa vo!)

कितना मुश्किल था वो इम्तिहान! How difficult that exam was!

(kitnaa mushkil thaa vo imtihaan!)

तुम कितनी मेहनत करते हो, यार! How hard you work, man!

(tum kitnii mehnat karte ho, yaar!)

वो कितना रो रही थी! How she was crying!

(vo kitnaa ro rahii thii!)

काश तुम समझ पाते कि तुम्हारे माता-पिता तुमसे कितना प्यार करते हैं! If only you could understand how much your parents love you!

(kaash tum samajh paate ki tumhaare maataa-pitaa tumse kitnaa pyaar karte hain!)

अगर वो जानता कि उसने कितना बड़ा मौक़ा खो दिया, तो पछताता। If he had known what a huge opportunity he lost, he would have regretted it.

(agar vo jaantaa ki usne kitnaa badaa mauqaa kho diyaa, to pachhtaataa।)

आप कितने दयालु हैं, यह देखकर मन खुश हो गया। How kind you are -- seeing this made my heart glad.

(aap kitne dayaalu hain, yah dekhkar man khush ho gayaa।)

हे ईश्वर, तेरी यह सृष्टि कितनी अद्भुत है! Oh God, how wondrous this creation of yours is!

(he iishvar, terii yah srishti kitnii adbhut hai!)

यह सोचकर ही रोमांच हो आता है कि जीवन कितना अनमोल है। Just thinking of it gives a thrill -- how priceless life is.

(yah sochkar hii romaanch ho aataa hai ki jiivan kitnaa anmol hai।)

उसने जो साड़ी पहनी है, वो कितनी शानदार लग रही है! That sari she's wearing, how splendid it looks!

(usne jo saadii pahnii hai, vo kitnii shaandaar lag rahii hai!)

Morphology

Adjective (variable)

(sg.m): कितना (kitnaa)

(pl.m): कितने (kitne)

(sg.f): कितनी (kitnii)

(pl.f): कितनी (kitnii)