Questions & Answers about كم حبة أخذت؟
Why is the word for 'pill' singular here instead of plural?
In Arabic, the question word كم (meaning 'how many') is always followed by a singular noun. So instead of saying 'how many pills', you literally say 'how many pill'.
If I read this aloud, does the word حبة have a special ending?
Yes! The noun that comes directly after كم always takes an 'an' sound at the end if you are pronouncing the full formal Arabic endings. So it is pronounced حبةً (habbatan), even if the two little lines for the 'an' sound are not written in the text.
Where is the word for 'did' in this question?
Arabic does not use helper verbs like 'did' or 'do' to make questions. You simply put the question word كم at the beginning, followed by the noun, and then the regular past tense verb أخذت (you took).
How do I know if أخذت is meant for a man or a woman?
Without the short vowel marks written above or below the last letter, the word looks exactly the same! If you are speaking to a male, you pronounce it أخذتَ (akhadhta) with an 'a' sound at the end. If speaking to a female, you pronounce it أخذتِ (akhadhti) with an 'i' sound at the end.
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