Combien and Quel Questions

Think of quel as the 'choosy' word. It’s like being at a party and asking, "Which drink is mine?" It always pairs with a noun because it wants to know specifically which 'thing' you are talking about. On the other hand, combien is the 'math' word. It wants to know a number or an amount. If you’re asking "How much does this cost?" or "How many siblings do you have?", you’re in combien territory. It’s pretty straightforward once you see the logic. One identifies a specific choice, while the other counts it up. In French, quel acts like an adjective, which means it has to match the noun it describes. Combien is an adverb, so it’s a bit more independent and doesn't change its shape, though it usually brings a little friend along: the word de.

1. 1To ask about a quantity of things, use combien de + [noun].
2. 2Crucially, even if the noun is plural (which it usually is), the de stays as de. Never use des here! It's a grammar trap.
3. 3If the noun starts with a vowel, de becomes d'. For example: combien d'oranges.
4. 4To ask "Which?", you must choose the right version of quel to match your noun's gender and number:
5. 5Masculine Singular: quel (e.g., quel livre)
6. 6Feminine Singular: quelle (e.g., quelle voiture)
7. 7Masculine Plural: quels (e.g., quels films)
8. 8Feminine Plural: quelles (e.g., quelles fleurs)
9. 9You can put these at the start of a sentence for a standard question or use est-ce que right after them for a slightly more formal feel.

Use quel when you have options and need to make a selection. Imagine a menu with ten different pizzas. You would ask, Quelle pizza est la meilleure ? (Which pizza is the best?). It's also the go-to word for dates, names, and personal preferences. Quel est ton nom ? (What is your name?) or Quel jour sommes-nous ? (What day is it?). You'll use combien every single time you go shopping. Combien ça coûte ? (How much does it cost?) is perhaps the most useful phrase in the language. Use it at the market when you want combien de pommes (how many apples) or at the train station to ask combien de minutes (how many minutes) until the next departure. It covers both 'how many' (countable things) and 'how much' (uncountable things like time or money).

Don't use combien when you're asking "How are you?" or "How do you do that?". That's the job for comment. This is a classic mix-up! Also, be careful not to use quel when you mean "What are you doing?" or "What do you want?". In those cases, where there is no specific noun involved, you should use que or qu'est-ce que. Remember: quel needs a noun or the verb être. If you just want to ask a general "What?", quel is likely the wrong tool. It’s like using a screwdriver when you need a hammer. Both are tools, but they do very different jobs. Quel is specific; que is general.

The absolute biggest "oups" moment for learners is saying combien des. It feels natural because you are talking about multiple things, but French insists on combien de. Just memorize it as a single unshakeable block. Another classic is forgetting that quel changes its spelling. While quel, quelle, quels, and quelles all sound exactly the same when spoken, the paper doesn't lie! If you’re writing about une valise (a suitcase), you must use quelle. Think of it like matching your clothes. You wouldn't wear one flip-flop and one winter boot, right? Keep your genders matched! Finally, don't forget the d' before vowels. Combien de amis sounds clunky to a French ear; combien d'amis flows like a dream.

Quel vs Qu'est-ce que is the final boss of A1 questions. Quel is like a spotlight on a specific thing within a group. Qu'est-ce que is much broader. If you ask Qu'est-ce que tu manges ?, you have no idea what they are eating—it could be a shoe for all you know! If you ask Quel fruit manges-tu ?, you already know they are eating fruit; you just want to know which specific one. Combien vs Beaucoup is much simpler. Combien is the question (the curiosity), and beaucoup is often the answer (the reality). One asks for the number, the other provides it. They are two sides of the same coin.