كم

See also: کم and گم

Arabic

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kam/

Adverb

كَمْ • (kam)

1. how many?, how much? (used with accusative noun)

   كَمْ كِتَابًا تُرِيدُ أَنْ تَشْتَرِيَ؟

   kam kitāban turīdu ʔan taštariya?

   How many books do you want to buy?

2. how many!, how much! (used with مِنْ (min))

   كَمْ مِنْ كُتُبٍ هُنَا!

   kam min kutubin hunā!

   Oh, how many books are here!

Etymology 2

Artificial formation from the word above.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kamm/

Noun

كَمّ • (kamm) m

1. quantity, multitude

   اَلْعِبْرَةُ بِٱلْكَيْفِ لَا بِٱلْكَمِّ

   al-ʕibratu bi-l-kayfi lā bi-l-kammi

   What matters is quality, not quantity.

2. (physics) quantum

Declension

Declension of noun كَمّ (kamm)

singular	basic singular triptote
	indefinite	definite	construct
informal	كَمّ kamm	الْكَمّ al-kamm	كَمّ kamm
nominative	كَمٌّ kammun	الْكَمُّ al-kammu	كَمُّ kammu
accusative	كَمًّا kamman	الْكَمَّ al-kamma	كَمَّ kamma
genitive	كَمٍّ kammin	الْكَمِّ al-kammi	كَمِّ kammi

Etymology 3

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kum/

Pronoun

ـكُمْ • (-kum) m pl (enclitic form of أَنْتُم (ʔantum))

1. you, your (masculine plural) (bound object pronoun)

   السَّلامُ عَلَيْكُمْ ― as-salāmu ʕalaykum ― peace be upon you

Etymology 4

Compare ب ك م (b k m).

Verb

كَمَّ • (kamma) I (non-past يَكُمُّ (yakummu), verbal noun كَمّ (kamm))

1. to cover up, to close up by enveloping, to muzzle

Conjugation

    Conjugation of كَمَّ (I, geminate, a ~ u, full passive (?), verbal noun كَمّ)

verbal noun الْمَصْدَر						كَمّ kamm
active participle اِسْم الْفَاعِل						كَامّ kāmm
passive participle اِسْم الْمَفْعُول						مَكْمُوم makmūm
active voice الْفِعْل الْمَعْلُوم
		singular الْمُفْرَد				dual الْمُثَنَّى			plural الْجَمْع
		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب
past (perfect) indicative الْمَاضِي	m	كَمَمْتُ kamamtu	كَمَمْتَ kamamta	كَمَّ kamma		كَمَمْتُمَا kamamtumā	كَمَّا kammā		كَمَمْنَا kamamnā	كَمَمْتُمْ kamamtum	كَمُّوا kammū
	f		كَمَمْتِ kamamti	كَمَّتْ kammat			كَمَّتَا kammatā			كَمَمْتُنَّ kamamtunna	كَمَمْنَ kamamna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أَكُمُّ ʔakummu	تَكُمُّ takummu	يَكُمُّ yakummu		تَكُمَّانِ takummāni	يَكُمَّانِ yakummāni		نَكُمُّ nakummu	تَكُمُّونَ takummūna	يَكُمُّونَ yakummūna
	f		تَكُمِّينَ takummīna	تَكُمُّ takummu			تَكُمَّانِ takummāni			تَكْمُمْنَ takmumna	يَكْمُمْنَ yakmumna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أَكُمَّ ʔakumma	تَكُمَّ takumma	يَكُمَّ yakumma		تَكُمَّا takummā	يَكُمَّا yakummā		نَكُمَّ nakumma	تَكُمُّوا takummū	يَكُمُّوا yakummū
	f		تَكُمِّي takummī	تَكُمَّ takumma			تَكُمَّا takummā			تَكْمُمْنَ takmumna	يَكْمُمْنَ yakmumna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أَكُمَّ, أَكُمِّ, أَكْمُمْ ʔakumma, ʔakummi, ʔakmum	تَكُمَّ, تَكُمِّ, تَكْمُمْ takumma, takummi, takmum	يَكُمَّ, يَكُمِّ, يَكْمُمْ yakumma, yakummi, yakmum		تَكُمَّا takummā	يَكُمَّا yakummā		نَكُمَّ, نَكُمِّ, نَكْمُمْ nakumma, nakummi, nakmum	تَكُمُّوا takummū	يَكُمُّوا yakummū
	f		تَكُمِّي takummī	تَكُمَّ, تَكُمِّ, تَكْمُمْ takumma, takummi, takmum			تَكُمَّا takummā			تَكْمُمْنَ takmumna	يَكْمُمْنَ yakmumna
imperative الْأَمْر	m		كُمَّ, كُمِّ, اُكْمُمْ kumma, kummi, ukmum			كُمَّا kummā				كُمُّوا kummū
	f		كُمِّي kummī							اُكْمُمْنَ ukmumna
passive voice الْفِعْل الْمَجْهُول
		singular الْمُفْرَد				dual الْمُثَنَّى			plural الْجَمْع
		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب
past (perfect) indicative الْمَاضِي	m	كُمِمْتُ kumimtu	كُمِمْتَ kumimta	كُمَّ kumma		كُمِمْتُمَا kumimtumā	كُمَّا kummā		كُمِمْنَا kumimnā	كُمِمْتُمْ kumimtum	كُمُّوا kummū
	f		كُمِمْتِ kumimti	كُمَّتْ kummat			كُمَّتَا kummatā			كُمِمْتُنَّ kumimtunna	كُمِمْنَ kumimna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أُكَمُّ ʔukammu	تُكَمُّ tukammu	يُكَمُّ yukammu		تُكَمَّانِ tukammāni	يُكَمَّانِ yukammāni		نُكَمُّ nukammu	تُكَمُّونَ tukammūna	يُكَمُّونَ yukammūna
	f		تُكَمِّينَ tukammīna	تُكَمُّ tukammu			تُكَمَّانِ tukammāni			تُكْمَمْنَ tukmamna	يُكْمَمْنَ yukmamna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أُكَمَّ ʔukamma	تُكَمَّ tukamma	يُكَمَّ yukamma		تُكَمَّا tukammā	يُكَمَّا yukammā		نُكَمَّ nukamma	تُكَمُّوا tukammū	يُكَمُّوا yukammū
	f		تُكَمِّي tukammī	تُكَمَّ tukamma			تُكَمَّا tukammā			تُكْمَمْنَ tukmamna	يُكْمَمْنَ yukmamna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أُكَمَّ, أُكَمِّ, أُكْمَمْ ʔukamma, ʔukammi, ʔukmam	تُكَمَّ, تُكَمِّ, تُكْمَمْ tukamma, tukammi, tukmam	يُكَمَّ, يُكَمِّ, يُكْمَمْ yukamma, yukammi, yukmam		تُكَمَّا tukammā	يُكَمَّا yukammā		نُكَمَّ, نُكَمِّ, نُكْمَمْ nukamma, nukammi, nukmam	تُكَمُّوا tukammū	يُكَمُّوا yukammū
	f		تُكَمِّي tukammī	تُكَمَّ, تُكَمِّ, تُكْمَمْ tukamma, tukammi, tukmam			تُكَمَّا tukammā			تُكْمَمْنَ tukmamna	يُكْمَمْنَ yukmamna

Derived terms

• كِمَام (kimām) and كِمَامَة (kimāma) and مِكَمَّة (mikamma, “muzzle”)
• كَمَّمَ (kammama, “to muzzle, to muffle”)

Noun

كِمّ • (kimm) m (plural أَكْمَام (ʔakmām) or أَكِمَّة (ʔakimma) or كِمَام (kimām) or أَكَامِيم (ʔakāmīm))

1. calyx of a flower, the envelope or spathe of a palm-tree or the like

Declension

Declension of noun كِمّ (kimm)

singular	basic singular triptote
	indefinite	definite	construct
informal	كِمّ kimm	الْكِمّ al-kimm	كِمّ kimm
nominative	كِمٌّ kimmun	الْكِمُّ al-kimmu	كِمُّ kimmu
accusative	كِمًّا kimman	الْكِمَّ al-kimma	كِمَّ kimma
genitive	كِمٍّ kimmin	الْكِمِّ al-kimmi	كِمِّ kimmi
dual	indefinite	definite	construct
informal	كِمَّيْن kimmayn	الْكِمَّيْن al-kimmayn	كِمَّيْ kimmay
nominative	كِمَّانِ kimmāni	الْكِمَّانِ al-kimmāni	كِمَّا kimmā
accusative	كِمَّيْنِ kimmayni	الْكِمَّيْنِ al-kimmayni	كِمَّيْ kimmay
genitive	كِمَّيْنِ kimmayni	الْكِمَّيْنِ al-kimmayni	كِمَّيْ kimmay
plural	basic broken plural triptote‎; broken plural triptote in ـَة (-a)‎; basic broken plural diptote
	indefinite	definite	construct
informal	أَكْمَام‎; أَكِمَّة‎; كِمَام‎; أَكَامِيم ʔakmām‎; ʔakimma‎; kimām‎; ʔakāmīm	الْأَكْمَام‎; الْأَكِمَّة‎; الْكِمَام‎; الْأَكَامِيم al-ʔakmām‎; al-ʔakimma‎; al-kimām‎; al-ʔakāmīm	أَكْمَام‎; أَكِمَّة‎; كِمَام‎; أَكَامِيم ʔakmām‎; ʔakimmat‎; kimām‎; ʔakāmīm
nominative	أَكْمَامٌ‎; أَكِمَّةٌ‎; كِمَامٌ‎; أَكَامِيمُ ʔakmāmun‎; ʔakimmatun‎; kimāmun‎; ʔakāmīmu	الْأَكْمَامُ‎; الْأَكِمَّةُ‎; الْكِمَامُ‎; الْأَكَامِيمُ al-ʔakmāmu‎; al-ʔakimmatu‎; al-kimāmu‎; al-ʔakāmīmu	أَكْمَامُ‎; أَكِمَّةُ‎; كِمَامُ‎; أَكَامِيمُ ʔakmāmu‎; ʔakimmatu‎; kimāmu‎; ʔakāmīmu
accusative	أَكْمَامًا‎; أَكِمَّةً‎; كِمَامًا‎; أَكَامِيمَ ʔakmāman‎; ʔakimmatan‎; kimāman‎; ʔakāmīma	الْأَكْمَامَ‎; الْأَكِمَّةَ‎; الْكِمَامَ‎; الْأَكَامِيمَ al-ʔakmāma‎; al-ʔakimmata‎; al-kimāma‎; al-ʔakāmīma	أَكْمَامَ‎; أَكِمَّةَ‎; كِمَامَ‎; أَكَامِيمَ ʔakmāma‎; ʔakimmata‎; kimāma‎; ʔakāmīma
genitive	أَكْمَامٍ‎; أَكِمَّةٍ‎; كِمَامٍ‎; أَكَامِيمَ ʔakmāmin‎; ʔakimmatin‎; kimāmin‎; ʔakāmīma	الْأَكْمَامِ‎; الْأَكِمَّةِ‎; الْكِمَامِ‎; الْأَكَامِيمِ al-ʔakmāmi‎; al-ʔakimmati‎; al-kimāmi‎; al-ʔakāmīmi	أَكْمَامِ‎; أَكِمَّةِ‎; كِمَامِ‎; أَكَامِيمِ ʔakmāmi‎; ʔakimmati‎; kimāmi‎; ʔakāmīmi

Descendants

• → Ottoman Turkish: كم (kimm, “calyx of a flower”)
• → Persian: کما (kamâ, kemâ, komâ, “mace, the envelope of nutmeg”)

Noun

كُمّ • (kumm) m (plural أَكْمَام (ʔakmām) or كِمَمَة (kimama))

1. sleeve of a garment

Declension

Declension of noun كُمّ (kumm)

singular	basic singular triptote
	indefinite	definite	construct
informal	كُمّ kumm	الْكُمّ al-kumm	كُمّ kumm
nominative	كُمٌّ kummun	الْكُمُّ al-kummu	كُمُّ kummu
accusative	كُمًّا kumman	الْكُمَّ al-kumma	كُمَّ kumma
genitive	كُمٍّ kummin	الْكُمِّ al-kummi	كُمِّ kummi
dual	indefinite	definite	construct
informal	كُمَّيْن kummayn	الْكُمَّيْن al-kummayn	كُمَّيْ kummay
nominative	كُمَّانِ kummāni	الْكُمَّانِ al-kummāni	كُمَّا kummā
accusative	كُمَّيْنِ kummayni	الْكُمَّيْنِ al-kummayni	كُمَّيْ kummay
genitive	كُمَّيْنِ kummayni	الْكُمَّيْنِ al-kummayni	كُمَّيْ kummay
plural	basic broken plural triptote‎; broken plural triptote in ـَة (-a)
	indefinite	definite	construct
informal	أَكْمَام‎; كِمَمَة ʔakmām‎; kimama	الْأَكْمَام‎; الْكِمَمَة al-ʔakmām‎; al-kimama	أَكْمَام‎; كِمَمَة ʔakmām‎; kimamat
nominative	أَكْمَامٌ‎; كِمَمَةٌ ʔakmāmun‎; kimamatun	الْأَكْمَامُ‎; الْكِمَمَةُ al-ʔakmāmu‎; al-kimamatu	أَكْمَامُ‎; كِمَمَةُ ʔakmāmu‎; kimamatu
accusative	أَكْمَامًا‎; كِمَمَةً ʔakmāman‎; kimamatan	الْأَكْمَامَ‎; الْكِمَمَةَ al-ʔakmāma‎; al-kimamata	أَكْمَامَ‎; كِمَمَةَ ʔakmāma‎; kimamata
genitive	أَكْمَامٍ‎; كِمَمَةٍ ʔakmāmin‎; kimamatin	الْأَكْمَامِ‎; الْكِمَمَةِ al-ʔakmāmi‎; al-kimamati	أَكْمَامِ‎; كِمَمَةِ ʔakmāmi‎; kimamati

Descendants

• Gulf Arabic: چَم (čam)
• → Persian: کما (kamâ)

Hijazi Arabic

Etymology

From Arabic كَمْ (kam).

Determiner

كم • (kam, kamm)

1. how many
2. a few

Usage notes

• كم (kam) is always followed by a singular noun.

Karakhanid

Etymology

From Proto-Turkic *kem (“who”). Cognate with Old Turkic 𐰚𐰢 (kem, “who, whoever”), Turkish kim (“who, whoever”).

Pronoun

كم (kim)

1. (interrogative) who

Moroccan Arabic

Etymology

From Arabic كُمّ (kumm).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kumː/

Noun

كم • (kumm) m (plural كمام (kmām))

1. sleeve (part of a garment that covers the arm)

Old Anatolian Turkish

Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-Turkic *kem. The relation with كه (ki), a Persian borrowing, is uncertain, as they are mostly interchangeable in most senses.

Alternative forms

• كیم (kim)

Conjunction

كم • (kim)

1. that

   Synonym: كه (ki)

   كوردی كم اولمش ― gördi kim ölmiş ― she saw that he died

2. because, for
   • 14th Century, Avni, (Please provide the book title or journal name):

     كسمزم اغیار جوری ایله جاناندن امید
     كم كسلمز ﺧﻮﻒ شیطان ایله ایماندن امید

     kesilmez eġyār cevri ile cānāndan ümīd
     kim kesilmez ḫevf-i şeyṭān ıla īmāndan ümīd

     I do not lose hope in my beloved (God) because of the interpretations of others
     Because one cannot lose hope in faith because of the fear of the Devil

   Synonyms: چون (çün), چونكه (çünki)

3. so that, in order to

   Synonyms: دیو (dẹyü), كه (ki)

Pronoun

كم • (kim) (accusative كمی (kimi), plural كملر (kimler))

1. (interrogative) who

   كم بلور ― kim bilür? ― who knows?

2. (relative) who

   Synonym: كه (ki)

   • 14th Century, anonymous author, Dresden manuscript: Kitāb-ı Dedem Ḳorḳud Alā Lisān-ı Tāife-i Oġuzān:

     انك كم اوغلی قزی اولمیه تكری تعالى انیقرغایپدر، بز دخی قارغرز دیمش

     anuŋ kim oġlı qızı olmaya taŋrı te'ālā anı qarġayupdur, biz daḫı qarġaruz dẹmiş.

     He said "He who doesn't have a daughter or son, God Almighty has cursed him, we too curse him."

   اول كم سور ― ol kim sẹver ― he who loves

3. no one, nobody

   Synonym: كمسنه (kimesne)

4. some

Derived terms

• كم اوله (kim ola, “perhaps”)
• كم كه (kim ki, “whoever”)
• كم مكر (kim meger, “once upon a time”)
• كمسه (kimse, “no one”)
• كمك اكسوكی (kimüŋ eksügi, “it is no one's business”)
• كمنجه (kimince, “some”)
• كمى (kimi, “some”)
• كیمر (kimer, “some”)

Descendants

• Azerbaijani: kim
• Gagauz: kim
• Ottoman Turkish: كیم (kim)
  • Turkish: kim

Further reading

• Kanar, Mehmet (2018) “kim”, in Eski Anadolu Türkçesi Sözlüğü [Old Anatolian Turkish Dictionary] (in Turkish), 2nd edition, Istanbul: Say Yayınları, page 424
• “kim”, in XIII. Yüzyılından Beri Türkiye Türkçesiyle Yazılmış Kitaplarından Toplanan Tanıklarıyle Tarama Sözlüğü (Türk Dil Kurumu yayınları; 212)‎^[2] (in Turkish), Ankara: Türk Dil Kurumu, 1963–1977
• Nişanyan, Sevan (2002–) “kim”, in Nişanyan Sözlük

Etymology 2

كم

Uncertain. Only seen in Anatolian Turkish. Maidhof, Frisk and quoting him Nişanyan suggest a borrowing from Ancient Greek κημός (kēmós). Tietze points out the phonetic difficulties of a such derivation. Sevortyan connects with كمورمك (kemürmek, “to chew”) Eren and Benveniste connect with Mongolian [script needed] (cağucai)

Noun

كم • (gem) (definite accusative كمی (gemi), plural كملر (gemler))

1. bit, a piece of metal placed in a horse's mouth and connected to the reins to direct the animal

   Synonym: آغیزلق (aġızlıq)

Derived terms

• كم آلمز (gem almaz, “non-compliant”)
• كم آلمق (gem almaq, “to take a bit; to listen, to comply”)

Descendants

• Azerbaijani: gəm
• Gagauz: gem
• Ottoman Turkish: كم (gem)
  • Turkish: gem
  • →? Albanian: gjem
  • → Kurdish: gem
  • → Armenian: կէմ (kēm), գյամ (gyam)

Further reading

• Kanar, Mehmet (2018) Eski Anadolu Türkçesi Sözlüğü [Old Anatolian Turkish Dictionary] (in Turkish), 2nd edition, Istanbul: Say Yayınları, page 278

Etymology 3

Borrowed from Classical Persian گم (gum)

Adjective

كم • (güm)

1. lost, missing

   Synonyms: یاوو (yavu), غایب (ġāyib)

Derived terms

• كم اولمق (güm olmaq, “to get lost”)
• كم ایتمك (güm ẹtmek, “to lose”)

Further reading

• Kanar, Mehmet (2018) Eski Anadolu Türkçesi Sözlüğü [Old Anatolian Turkish Dictionary] (in Turkish), 2nd edition, Istanbul: Say Yayınları, pages 316-317

Etymology 4

Borrowed from Classical Persian کم.

Adjective

كم • (kem)

1. few, little

   Synonym: آز (az)

2. bad

Derived terms

• كم اولمق (kem olmaq, “to be lower”)
• كم كم (kem kem, “little”)
• كملك (kemlik, “rarity”)

Descendants

• Azerbaijani: kəm
• Ottoman Turkish: كم (kem)
  • Turkish: kem

Further reading

• Kanar, Mehmet (2018) Eski Anadolu Türkçesi Sözlüğü [Old Anatolian Turkish Dictionary] (in Turkish), 2nd edition, Istanbul: Say Yayınları, page 425
• Nişanyan, Sevan (2002–) “kem”, in Nişanyan Sözlük

Ottoman Turkish

كم

Etymology 1

Inherited from Old Anatolian Turkish كم (gem), see there for more.

Noun

كم • (gem) (definite accusative كمی (gemi), plural كملر (gemler))

1. bit, a piece of metal placed in a horse's mouth and connected to the reins to direct the animal

Derived terms

• بادملو كم (bademli gem, “bit with an almond-shaped part in the middle”)
• كم آلمق (gem almak, “to be docile”)
• كم اورمق (gem urmak, “to put a bit on a horse”)
• كم صولوغی (gem soluğu, “curb chain”)

Descendants

• Turkish: gem
• →? Albanian: gjem
• → Kurdish: gem
• → Armenian: կէմ (kēm), գյամ (gyam)

Further reading

click to expand

• Çağbayır, Yaşar (2007) “gem1”, in Ötüken Türkçe Sözlük (in Turkish), volume 1, Istanbul: Ötüken Neşriyat, page 1677
• Hindoglu, Artin (1838) “كم”, in Hazine-i lûgat ou dictionnaire abrégé turc-français‎^[3], Vienna: F. Beck, page 395b
• Kélékian, Diran (1911) “كم”, in Dictionnaire turc-français‎^[4], Constantinople: Mihran, page 1037
• Meninski, Franciszek à Mesgnien (1687) “Frenum”, in Complementum thesauri linguarum orientalium, seu onomasticum latino-turcico-arabico-persicum, simul idem index verborum lexici turcico-arabico-persici, quod latinâ, germanicâ, aliarumque linguarum adjectâ nomenclatione nuper in lucem editum‎^[5], Vienna, column 614
• Meninski, Franciszek à Mesgnien (1680) “كم”, in Thesaurus linguarum orientalium, Turcicae, Arabicae, Persicae, praecipuas earum opes à Turcis peculiariter usurpatas continens, nimirum Lexicon Turkico-Arabico-Persicum‎^[6], Vienna, column 4009
• Nişanyan, Sevan (2002–) “gem”, in Nişanyan Sözlük
• Redhouse, James W. (1890) “كم”, in A Turkish and English Lexicon‎^[7], Constantinople: A. H. Boyajian, page 1569

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Arabic كِمّ (kimm, “calyx of a flower”).

Noun

كم • (kimm) (definite accusative كمی (kimmi), plural كمام (kimâm) or اكمام (ekmâm))

1. (botany) calyx, the outermost whorl of flower parts, which covers and protects the petals as they develop

Descendants

• Turkish: kim

Further reading

click to expand

• Çağbayır, Yaşar (2007) “kim4”, in Ötüken Türkçe Sözlük (in Turkish), volume 1, Istanbul: Ötüken Neşriyat, page 2673
• Devellioğlu, Ferit (1962) “kimm”, in Osmanlıca-Türkçe Ansiklopedik Lûgat‎‎^[8] (in Turkish), Istanbul: Türk Dil Kurumu, page 623
• Meninski, Franciszek à Mesgnien (1687) “Elate”, in Complementum thesauri linguarum orientalium, seu onomasticum latino-turcico-arabico-persicum, simul idem index verborum lexici turcico-arabico-persici, quod latinâ, germanicâ, aliarumque linguarum adjectâ nomenclatione nuper in lucem editum‎^[9], Vienna, column 454
• Meninski, Franciszek à Mesgnien (1680) “كم”, in Thesaurus linguarum orientalium, Turcicae, Arabicae, Persicae, praecipuas earum opes à Turcis peculiariter usurpatas continens, nimirum Lexicon Turkico-Arabico-Persicum‎^[10], Vienna, column 4011
• Redhouse, James W. (1890) “كم”, in A Turkish and English Lexicon‎^[11], Constantinople: A. H. Boyajian, page 1569

South Levantine Arabic

Etymology 1

Alternative forms

ـكو (-ku)

Suffix

ـكم • (-kom) pl

2. Enclitic form of إنتو (ʔintu)
3. you, your (plural)

See also

South Levantine Arabic enclitic pronouns
		Singular		Plural
		after consonant	after vowel
1st person	after verb	ـني (-ni)		ـنا (-na)
	else	ـِي (-i)	ـي (-y)
2nd person	m	ـَك (-ak)	ـك (-k)	ـكُم (-kom) / ـكو (-ku)
	f	ـِك (-ek)	ـكي (-ki)
3rd person	m	ـُه (-o)	ـه (-h)	ـهُم (-hom)
	f	ـها (-ha)

Etymology 2

From Arabic كَمْ (kam).

Alternative forms

• أكم (ʔakam)

Determiner

كم • (kam, kamm)

1. how many (+ من)

   كم مرّة سمعت: شو ممكن الواحد يعمل بالأردن؟

   kam marra smeʕt: šu mumken il-wāḥad yaʕmel bil-ʔurdun?

   How many times did you hear: What can someone do in Jordan?

2. a few, some, several (+ من)

   Synonym: بعض (baʕḍ)

   خلّينا نلتقي بالقدس بعد كم يوم.

   ḵallīna niltaʔi bil-ʔuds baʕd kam yōm.

   Let's meet in Jerusalem after a few days.

3. how long (+ إلـ)

   كم إلها بتتعلّم عربي؟

   kam ʔilha btitʕallam ʕarabi?

   How long has she been learning Arabic?

Usage notes

• كم (kam) is always followed by a singular noun.

Related terms

• قديش (ʔaddēš, “how much”)