Questions & Answers about Ile kosztuje ta kawa?
Does ile mean 'how much' or 'how many'?
It means both! In Polish, you use ile whether you are asking about things you cannot count like 'how much' or things you can count like 'how many'.
Why do we use ta instead of ten or to?
Ta is the feminine form of 'this'. We use it here because kawa (coffee) is a feminine noun, which usually ends in '-a'. If you were asking about a masculine noun like sok (juice), you would use ten sok, and for a neuter noun like piwo (beer), you would use to piwo.
What is the base form of the verb kosztuje?
The dictionary form is kosztować (to cost). Kosztuje is the 'it' form used for a single item like this coffee. If you were asking about multiple items, you would use the 'they' form: kosztują.
How would I answer this question with a price, for example, 15 PLN?
You could answer Kosztuje piętnaście złotych (It costs 15 złoty). Notice that with numbers 5 and up, the currency word changes to złotych, which is something you will practice a lot in this lesson on prices!