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Questions & Answers about Bu kaç lira?
Why doesn't lira have a plural ending if we are asking "how many"?
In Turkish, nouns that come after numbers or quantity words like kaç (how many) always stay in the singular form. You will never use the plural ending -lar or -ler after kaç.
Where is the word for "is" in Bu kaç lira?
It is implied! In simple Turkish sentences, the "to be" verb for "is" or "are" is often left out. The sentence literally translates as "This how many lira?" but is perfectly understood as "How many lira is this?".
Could I ask this question using ne kadar (how much) instead?
Yes, you can! Bu ne kadar? (How much is this?) is a very natural and common way to ask for a price in a shop. Bu kaç lira? is just a more specific way of asking the exact same thing by mentioning the currency.