¿Qué es?
How much y how many se usan para preguntar sobre cantidad.
Usa how much con sustantivos incontables. Los sustantivos incontables describen cosas que normalmente no se cuentan como elementos individuales separados.
- How much water do you drink?
- How much time do we have?
Usa how many con sustantivos contables en plural. Los sustantivos contables se pueden contar como elementos separados.
- How many books do you own?
- How many people are coming?
Very se usa antes de un adjetivo o adverbio para hacer que su significado sea más fuerte. Significa "en alto grado".
- The coffee is very hot.
- She speaks very slowly.
Cuándo usar
Usa how much para preguntar sobre una cantidad de algo incontable.
Los sustantivos incontables comunes incluyen:
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water
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milk
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money
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time
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information
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rice
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sugar
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work
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How much money do you need?
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How much rice should I cook?
Usa how many para preguntar sobre el número de cosas contables.
- How many chairs are in the room?
- How many emails did you receive?
Usa how much para preguntar sobre el precio de algo.
- How much is this jacket?
- How much are those shoes?
Usa very para fortalecer un adjetivo.
- The room is very cold.
- That film was very interesting.
Usa very para fortalecer un adverbio.
- He drives very carefully.
- She finished very quickly.
Estructura
Preguntas con how much
Usa:
how much + sustantivo incontable + verbo auxiliar + sujeto + verbo principal?
| How much | Sustantivo incontable | Auxiliar | Sujeto | Verbo principal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| How much | water | do | you | drink? |
| How much | money | does | she | need? |
| How much | time | did | they | spend? |
Con el verbo be, usa:
how much + sustantivo incontable + is/was + complemento?
- How much milk is in the fridge?
- How much time was available?
Para preguntar sobre el precio, usa:
how much + is/are + sustantivo?
- How much is the ticket?
- How much are these bags?
Preguntas con how many
Usa:
how many + sustantivo contable en plural + verbo auxiliar + sujeto + verbo principal?
| How many | Sustantivo en plural | Auxiliar | Sujeto | Verbo principal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| How many | languages | do | you | speak? |
| How many | cars | does | he | own? |
| How many | photos | did | she | take? |
Con el verbo be, usa:
how many + sustantivo contable en plural + are/were + complemento?
- How many students are in the class?
- How many people were at the meeting?
Oraciones con much y many
Much y many son comunes en oraciones negativas y preguntas.
- We do not have much time.
- She does not have many friends.
- Do you drink much coffee?
- Are there many shops nearby?
En oraciones afirmativas, a lot of suele ser más natural.
- We have a lot of time.
- She has a lot of friends.
Oraciones con very
Usa:
very + adjetivo
- very cold
- very expensive
- very tired
Usa:
very + adverbio
- very slowly
- very carefully
- very well
En una oración completa:
sujeto + verbo + very + adjetivo/adverbio
- The test was very difficult.
- He answered very politely.
Normalmente no uses very directamente antes de un sustantivo.
- a very interesting book
- no un very book
Ejemplos
- How much water do you drink every day?
- How much money did the trip cost?
- How much is this blue shirt?
- How many brothers do you have?
- How many people work in this office?
- How many apples should we buy?
- This bag is very heavy.
- She is very happy with her new job.
- He speaks English very well.
- The children walked very slowly.
Excepciones
Algunos sustantivos pueden ser contables o incontables dependiendo de su significado.
- How much coffee do you drink?
- How many coffees did you order?
En la primera oración, coffee significa la bebida en general. En la segunda oración, coffees significa tazas o porciones separadas.
Normalmente no uses very con adjetivos que ya expresan un significado extremo.
En lugar de very excellent, usa excellent.
En lugar de very impossible, usa impossible.
Algunos adjetivos extremos se pueden fortalecer con palabras como absolutely o completely.
- absolutely impossible
- completely empty
Errores comunes
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Incorrecto: How many water do you drink? Correcto: How much water do you drink? Explicación: Water es un sustantivo incontable, así que usa how much.
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Incorrecto: How much books do you have? Correcto: How many books do you have? Explicación: Books es un sustantivo contable en plural, así que usa how many.
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Incorrecto: How many money do you need? Correcto: How much money do you need? Explicación: Money es incontable en inglés.
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Incorrecto: How much apples are there? Correcto: How many apples are there? Explicación: Usa how many con sustantivos contables en plural.
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Incorrecto: How much is these shoes? Correcto: How much are these shoes? Explicación: Usa are porque shoes es plural.
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Incorrecto: She is very a friendly person. Correcto: She is a very friendly person. Explicación: Coloca very antes del adjetivo, no antes del artículo.
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Incorrecto: He drives very careful. Correcto: He drives very carefully. Explicación: Usa un adverbio para describir cómo conduce alguien.
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Incorrecto: I have much friends. Correcto: I have many friends. Explicación: Usa many con sustantivos contables en plural.