[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/how/) [dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [H](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/h/) / how # how adverb; conjunction (I know how to swim) «how» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova. ## Everyday 1. How asks in what way: How do you make a kite? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/how/#m1) 2. With «many» or «much», how asks about an amount: how many apples, how much water. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/how/#m2) 3. With an adjective, how asks about size, age and so on: how old, how tall, how far, how long. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/how/#m3) 4. How asks about feelings or health: How are you? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/how/#m4) 5. How can show surprise: How kind of you! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/how/#m5) 6. (casual) «How come?» means why; «how's it going?», «how ya going?» (Australia), «howya» (Ireland) and «how are ya» are greetings; «and how!» means very much so. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/how/#m6) 7. (rough) «How thick are you?» or «how many times do I have to tell you?» are angry put-downs, not real questions. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/how/#m7) 8. (formal) The exam voice replaces «how many» and «how much» with «determine the number of», «ascertain the quantity of», «state the magnitude of», «in what manner». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/how/#m8) 9. How can also mean the way in which something is done or happens. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/how/#m9) ### In the lessons in «how many» and «how much» the question for a number; «how many more … than» asks for a difference; «how long» asks for time or length; in science «how does it work?»; in everyday life «How are you?», «how to», «how about …?» (a suggestion); in casual talk «how come», «how ya going», «how many he got left then»; in rough talk angry questions that need no answer; in the exam voice «Determine the number of …», «State the quantity …», «In what manner …» ### Examples - How many apples are on the table? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/how/#x1) - How many more books does Tom have than Ben? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/how/#x2) - How much money does Sara have left? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/how/#x3) - How old are you? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/how/#x4) - How far is it to the park? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/how/#x5) - Can you show me how to tie my shoes? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/how/#x6) - How are you today? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/how/#x7) - How about a game of tag? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/how/#x8) - bus at 8:40 its 8:25 now, how long [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/how/#x9) - How come you've got more than me? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/how/#x10) - How many times do I have to tell you, it's 12! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/how/#x11) - Ascertain the quantity of monetary funds remaining in Sara's possession. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/how/#x12) - That is how I lost it. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/how/#x13) ### Note «how many» asks for a number, not the operation; «determine the number of» and «ascertain the quantity of» in an exam ask the same. Trap: «how many more … than» asks for a difference, not a sum. Use «how many» with things you can count (apples) and «how much» with things you cannot count (water, money). «How come?» means «why?». «how many times do I have to tell you» is anger, not a counting question. An hour has 60 minutes: «how long from 8:25 to 8:40» is 15 minutes. ## In Jewish tradition in «how many» and «how much» the question for a number; «how many more … than» asks for a difference; «how long» asks for time or length; in science «how does it work?»; in everyday life «How are you?», «how to», «how about …?» (a suggestion); in casual talk «how come», «how ya going», «how many he got left then»; in rough talk angry questions that need no answer; in the exam voice «Determine the number of …», «State the quantity …», «In what manner …» ### Examples - Nevertheless Kain shall be wasted; How long? (Torah NUM.24.22, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/how/#x1) - How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? (Torah NUM.23.8, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/how/#x2) - And how shall I execrate, whom the LORD hath not execrated? (Torah NUM.23.8, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/how/#x3) - How forcible are words of uprightness! (Writings JOB.6.25, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/how/#x4) - O how love I Thy law! (Writings PSA.119.97, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/how/#x5) - How is the gold become dim! (Writings LAM.4.1, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/how/#x6) ### Note «how many» asks for a number, not the operation; «determine the number of» and «ascertain the quantity of» in an exam ask the same. Trap: «how many more … than» asks for a difference, not a sum. Use «how many» with things you can count (apples) and «how much» with things you cannot count (water, money). «How come?» means «why?». «how many times do I have to tell you» is anger, not a counting question. An hour has 60 minutes: «how long from 8:25 to 8:40» is 15 minutes. ## On Mova - [Trees and pragmatics of «how» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/how/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames. - [«how» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/how.html) on Mova free. - [Trees and pragmatics of «how» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/how/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames. - [«how» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/how.html) on Mova free.