Many learners freeze at a market stall because they can point at what they want but can't ask what it costs. The fix is one word: 多少 (duōshao), which covers both "how many" and "how much" and works for any number — no upper limit.
多少 (duōshao) sits before a noun (with a measure word if needed) to ask about quantity, or before 钱 (qián, money) to ask about price. The pattern for shopping is simple: name the item, then say 多少钱. The key example is:
这个多少钱？(zhège duōshao qián?) — "How much is this?"
Notice that no 吗 (ma) is needed — 多少 already marks the sentence as a question. You can also swap the noun: for instance, "How many people?" becomes 多少人？(duōshao rén?).
This is a live conversation lesson: you talk out loud with AI teacher Mei Lin in real time, not by typing. She sets up a shopping scenario where you ask prices and quantities, and she corrects your grammar and pronunciation in the flow of conversation, adapting to your level. Each lesson targets one specific grammar pattern and takes roughly 10 minutes. Your first lesson is free — no credit card required to start talking.
After practicing 多少 in context, you can continue with more HSK 1 lessons or move to a related pattern: the lesson on 几 (jǐ) for asking about small numbers. If you want to ask about things rather than prices, try the lesson on 什么 (shénme). To reinforce your writing, print practice sheets with the free Chinese worksheet generator.
多少 (duōshao) means "how many" or "how much" and is used for any number, large or small. In this lesson's pattern, Asking Prices, you put the item first and then say 多少钱 — for example, 这个多少钱？(zhège duōshao qián?) means "How much is this?" No 吗 (ma) is needed because 多少 already marks it as a question.
多少 (duōshao) works for any number, while 几 (jǐ) is used when you expect a small number (roughly under ten). This lesson focuses on 多少 for Asking 'How Many/Much' (Any Number). For the companion pattern with 几, see the related live lesson on asking about small numbers.
Each live conversation lesson targets one grammar pattern and takes roughly 10 minutes. You talk out loud with AI teacher Mei Lin, who corrects your grammar and pronunciation as you practice asking prices and quantities in a shopping scenario. The first lesson is free to try.