cæt

Căt is a Romanian word used primarily as an interrogative and a quantifier, meaning "how much" or "how many" depending on context. It is employed to ask about quantity, duration, or degree and can appear in questions, exclamations, and comparative constructions. In exclamations, the construction "cât de + adjective/adverb" functions as an intensifier, as in "Cât de frumoasă e acea fată!"

The word has forms that reflect the gender and number of the noun it accompanies: cât (masculine/neuter singular), câtă (feminine singular), câți (masculine plural), câte (feminine or neuter plural). The form used agrees with the noun in a question or measurement: "Cât timp durează?" (how long), "Cât costă?" (how much does it cost), "Câți oameni au venit?" (how many people), "Câte idei ai?" (how many ideas). When referring to uncountable or mass nouns, the masculine/neuter singular form cât is common, while feminine mass nouns take câtă.

Usage notes: "cât" covers inquiries about quantity or extent, while "cât de" introduces an intense comparative phrase (e.g., "Cât de bine sună!" – how well it sounds). It also appears in fixed expressions and idioms and is frequently used in everyday speech and writing to seek or emphasize measurement.

Etymology: cât derives from Latin quantus, with cognates in other Romance languages such as Italian quanto and Spanish cuánto. In Romanian, it integrates into noun phrases and clause structures, adapting its form to the associated noun's gender and number.

See also: Romanian grammar, quantifiers, demonstratives.