juntos¿Cuánto cuesta?, not ¿cuántos años tiene?: asking the price without asking the age
One vendor in Oaxaca was asked how old the tomatoes were. He was very patient about it.
Cuánto on its own means how much. Cuántos (plural) means how many, and it's the form you learned in ¿cuántos años tienes?, which is why it jumps out first. But a price isn't a count of years. Ask ¿cuánto cuesta? (how much does it cost), ¿cuánto es? (how much is it, at the till) or ¿cuánto vale?.
At a Mexican market the local phrase is even shorter: ¿a cómo?, as in ¿a cómo el kilo? (how much per kilo?). Follow with deme medio kilo (give me half a kilo) or ¿me da dos?, and if you want to haggle politely, ¿es lo menos? (is that your best price?) does it without offending anyone.
Keep cuánto singular unless you're counting things: ¿cuántos hay? (how many are there), ¿cuántas quiere? (how many do you want, feminine). Money, time and distance take the singular: ¿cuánto tiempo?, ¿cuánto falta?.
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Also worth knowing
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| ¿A cómo el kilo? | How much per kilo? |
| Deme medio kilo, por favor. | Half a kilo, please. |
| ¿Es lo menos? | Is that your best price? |
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