how
gb/hˈaʊ/ us/hˈaʊ/
A1
English
~ 100
Senses
0 senses
adverb
A1
relation
1
In what way or manner
Used to ask or say about the way something happens or is done.
Usage pattern:
how [auxiliary verb] [subject] [verb]?
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'how' with 'what' when asking about identity, e.g., saying 'How is your name?' instead of 'What is your name?'.
Synonyms
in what way (A direct equivalent phrase, more formal in tone.)
Antonyms
why (Asks for a reason instead of a manner or process.)
Collocations
how it works
|how to do
|how things are
|how you feel
Themes
daily life
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- How do you make this cake?
- I don’t know how she solved the problem.
- Can you show me how it works?
- He explained how to use the new software.
Learner examples
- How do you cook rice?
- I know how to swim.
- She told me how to get there.
adverb
A1
relation
2
To what degree or extent
Used to ask or say about the size, amount, or level of something.
Usage pattern:
how [adjective/adverb] [subject/verb]?
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'how much' and 'how many', using 'much' for countable nouns.
Synonyms
to what extent (A formal equivalent often used in academic contexts.)
Antonyms
exactly (Gives a precise measure rather than asking about degree.)
Collocations
how big
|how far
|how much
|how many
Themes
daily life
|measurement
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- How tall is your brother?
- I wonder how far it is to the station.
- How much does this cost?
- Can you tell me how old she is?
Learner examples
- How big is your house?
- How many apples are there?
- How far is the school?
conjunction
A2
relation
3
The way something happens or is done
Shows the way that something happens or is done.
Usage pattern:
[main clause] how [subject] [verb]
Synonyms
the way that (Direct equivalent, slightly more formal.)
Collocations
remember how
|show how
|explain how
Themes
communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I remember how we first met.
- She showed me how she fixed the car.
- He explained how he solved the puzzle.
Learner examples
- I know how she runs fast.
- He told me how he made it.
- We learned how they play the game.
interjection
informal
B1
action
4
Expresses surprise about manner/degree
Said to show surprise or strong feeling about the way something is.
Common mistake:
Learners may forget to invert subject and verb in exclamations, e.g., 'How beautiful it is!' not 'How it is beautiful!'.
Synonyms
what a...! (Similar emotional force but uses a different grammatical form.)
Themes
emotions
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- How beautiful this place is!
- How quickly time flies!
- How strange that he didn’t call.
Learner examples
- How nice you are!
- How big this tree is!
- How fast you run!
Grammar
Expressions
how come
1/hˈaʊ kˈʌm/
fixed phrase
informal
Informal way to ask why
Used to ask why something happened, in an informal way.
Examples
- How come you didn’t call me?
- How come it’s so quiet today?
see how it goes
1/sˈi hˈaʊ ˈɪt ɡˈoʊz/
fixed phrase
Wait and watch before deciding next step
To wait and see what happens before making a decision.
Examples
- Let’s try it and see how it goes.
- We’ll start now and see how it goes.
you know how
1/jˈu nˈoʊ hˈaʊ/
fixed phrase
informal
Refers to shared knowledge of manner/situation
Used when talking about something you think the listener already knows about the way it happens.
Examples
- You know how she always sings in the shower? Well, today she didn’t.
- You know how traffic gets bad on Fridays?