how
gb/hˈaʊ/ us/hˈaʊ/
A1
Anglais
~ 100
Sens
0 sens
adverb
A1
relation
1
In what way or manner
Used to ask or say about the way something happens or is done.
Schéma d’usage :
how [auxiliary verb] [subject] [verb]?
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes confuse 'how' with 'what' when asking about identity, e.g., saying 'How is your name?' instead of 'What is your name?'.
Synonymes
in what way (A direct equivalent phrase, more formal in tone.)
Antonymes
why (Asks for a reason instead of a manner or process.)
Collocations
how it works
|how to do
|how things are
|how you feel
Thèmes
daily life
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- 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.
Exemples pédagogiques
- 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.
Schéma d’usage :
how [adjective/adverb] [subject/verb]?
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes confuse 'how much' and 'how many', using 'much' for countable nouns.
Synonymes
to what extent (A formal equivalent often used in academic contexts.)
Antonymes
exactly (Gives a precise measure rather than asking about degree.)
Collocations
how big
|how far
|how much
|how many
Thèmes
daily life
|measurement
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- 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?
Exemples pédagogiques
- 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.
Schéma d’usage :
[main clause] how [subject] [verb]
Synonymes
the way that (Direct equivalent, slightly more formal.)
Collocations
remember how
|show how
|explain how
Thèmes
communication
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- I remember how we first met.
- She showed me how she fixed the car.
- He explained how he solved the puzzle.
Exemples pédagogiques
- 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.
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may forget to invert subject and verb in exclamations, e.g., 'How beautiful it is!' not 'How it is beautiful!'.
Synonymes
what a...! (Similar emotional force but uses a different grammatical form.)
Thèmes
emotions
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- How beautiful this place is!
- How quickly time flies!
- How strange that he didn’t call.
Exemples pédagogiques
- How nice you are!
- How big this tree is!
- How fast you run!
Grammaire
Forme canonique
how
API
GB/hˈaʊ/
US/hˈaʊ/
Syllabes et accentuation
how (1 syllabe)
Stress on 1st syllable (how)
Formes du mot
Noun
- Base: how
- Plural: hows
Famille de mots
Expressions
how come
1/hˈaʊ kˈʌm/
fixed phrase
informal
Informal way to ask why
Used to ask why something happened, in an informal way.
Exemples
- 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.
Exemples
- 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.
Exemples
- You know how she always sings in the shower? Well, today she didn’t.
- You know how traffic gets bad on Fridays?