Hello, I’m Kodak.
You find something you like in a Japanese shop, but there is no visible price tag.
これ、いくらですか？
Kore, ikura desu ka?
How much is this?
いくらですか (ikura desu ka) means “How much is it?”
To ask about a specific item, say:
これはいくらですか？
Kore wa ikura desu ka?
How much is this?
In natural conversation, Japanese speakers often shorten it to:
これ、いくらですか？
In this article, you will learn:
② how to ask the price of an item naturally
③ how to pronounce ikura desu ka
④ the grammar of いくら + です + か
⑤ when to use おいくら, いくらになりますか, and いくらかかりますか
⑥ the difference between いくら and いくつ
⑦ why いくら also sounds like イクラ, the Japanese word for salmon roe
⑧ useful shopping, restaurant, hotel, taxi, and ticket-counter dialogues
What Does Ikura Desu Ka Mean?
Romaji: ikura desu ka
Natural English:
・How much is it?
・How much does it cost?
・What is the price?
いくら asks about an unknown amount, quantity, degree, or price. In the phrase いくらですか, it usually asks for a price.
これはいくらですか？
Kore wa ikura desu ka?
How much is this?
そのバッグはいくらですか？
Sono baggu wa ikura desu ka?
How much is that bag?
東京までいくらですか？
Tōkyō made ikura desu ka?
How much is it to Tokyo?
But in a shop, restaurant, taxi, hotel, or ticket counter, いくらですか will normally be understood as a question about price.
How to Say “How Much Is This?” in Japanese
The full beginner-friendly sentence is:
Kore wa ikura desu ka?
How much is this?
However, in a real shop, the following version often sounds more conversational:
Kore, ikura desu ka?
How much is this?
これ、いくらですか？ keeps the polite ending ですか, so it is still perfectly suitable when speaking to shop staff.
これはいくらですか？
Natural spoken version:
これ、いくらですか？
Very casual:
これ、いくら？
Better with friends than with unfamiliar staff.
The Grammar of Ikura Desu Ka
The expression contains three basic parts:
how much; what amount; what price
です (desu)
the polite copula, similar to “is” in this sentence
か (ka)
a particle that marks a polite question
↓
how much + is + question
↓
How much is it?
If you are holding, pointing to, or looking at an item, the staff can understand that you mean, “How much is this item?”
How to Pronounce Ikura Desu Ka
Romaji: ikura desu ka
Mora breakdown: い・く・ら・で・す・か
Number of morae: 6
A beginner-friendly rhythm is:
1. Keep Each Japanese Beat Short and Even
English speakers may naturally stress one syllable strongly, but Japanese rhythm is based on relatively even morae.
i ・ ku ・ ra ・ de ・ su ・ ka
2. The Japanese R in ら Is a Quick Tap
The ら (ra) sound is produced with a quick tongue tap. It is not exactly the same as an English r or l.
Clear rhythm and context are more important than sounding like a native speaker immediately.
3. The U in Desu May Sound Very Light
In natural speech, the vowel in す (su) before か (ka) is often devoiced. As a result, ですか may sound close to des-ka.
de-su-ka
Common natural sound:
des-ka
Pronouncing de-su-ka clearly is not wrong for a beginner.
4. Let Your Voice Rise Slightly at the End
The question particle か already marks the sentence as a question. A slight rise can sound natural, but you do not need an exaggerated English-style rise.
How Is Ikura Written in Japanese?
Possible kanji: 幾ら
Romaji: ikura
Although 幾ら is a valid kanji spelling, modern Japanese commonly writes the question word in hiragana as いくら.
The kanji 幾 is associated with an unknown number or amount. Dictionary descriptions analyze the final ら as a suffix, but beginners do not need to write the expression in kanji.
The Origin and History of いくら
The question word いくら is not a new shopping phrase. Historical dictionary records include an example from the late tenth-century work Ochikubo Monogatari.
Its older and broader meaning is not limited to money. It asks about an unknown or indefinite number, quantity, degree, or price.
↓
“how much / how great / what amount”
↓
in shopping contexts: “what price?”
The shopping meaning is now extremely common, so beginners often learn it first as “how much?”
How to Use Ikura Desu Ka When Shopping
1. Pointing to an Item: これ、いくらですか？
Sumimasen. Kore, ikura desu ka?
Excuse me. How much is this?
Staff: 1,500円です。
Sen gohyaku-en desu.
It is 1,500 yen.
2. Asking About That Item: それはいくらですか？
Use それ for something near the listener.
それはいくらですか？
Sore wa ikura desu ka?
How much is that?
3. Asking About an Item Farther Away: あれはいくらですか？
あれはいくらですか？
Are wa ikura desu ka?
How much is that over there?
Adding すみません first makes it easier to get the staff member’s attention politely.
4. Asking the Price of a Named Item
このシャツはいくらですか？
Kono shatsu wa ikura desu ka?
How much is this shirt?
このカメラはいくらですか？
Kono kamera wa ikura desu ka?
How much is this camera?
このお弁当はいくらですか？
Kono obentō wa ikura desu ka?
How much is this boxed lunch?
Is Ikura Desu Ka Polite?
Yes. いくらですか is a standard polite question and is suitable for ordinary interactions with store, restaurant, hotel, and transportation staff.
いくら？
How much?
Standard polite:
いくらですか？
How much is it?
More polite:
おいくらですか？
How much is it?
おいくらですか sounds more refined or formal and is also common when a staff member politely asks about a customer’s preferred budget.
ご予算はおいくらですか？
Goyosan wa oikura desu ka?
What is your budget?
Ikura Desu Ka vs Ikura ni Narimasu Ka
Both expressions can ask about money, but the focus is slightly different.
How much is it?
⇒ asks the price directly
いくらになりますか？
How much will it come to?
⇒ often asks for a resulting total or calculated charge
この帽子はいくらですか？
How much is this hat?
⇒ The price of one item.
全部でいくらになりますか？
How much will it be altogether?
⇒ The final total of multiple items or services.
全部でいくらになりますか emphasizes the amount that the total comes to after calculation.
Ikura Desu Ka vs Ikura Kakari Masu Ka
Use いくらかかりますか when asking how much money a service, trip, repair, stay, or activity will require.
What is the price?
いくらかかりますか？
How much will it cost?
How much money will be required?
修理にはいくらかかりますか？
Shūri ni wa ikura kakarimasu ka?
How much will the repair cost?
空港までタクシーでいくらかかりますか？
Kūkō made takushī de ikura kakarimasu ka?
How much does a taxi to the airport cost?
一泊いくらかかりますか？
Ippaku ikura kakarimasu ka?
How much does one night cost?
How to Ask About the Total, Rate, Fare, and Price Per Item
How Much Is It Altogether?
Zenbu de ikura desu ka?
How much is it altogether?
How Much Is One?
Hitotsu ikura desu ka?
How much is one?
一個いくらですか？
Ikko ikura desu ka?
How much is one piece?
How Much Per Hour?
Ichijikan ikura desu ka?
How much is it per hour?
How Much to Tokyo?
Tōkyō made ikura desu ka?
How much is it to Tokyo?
How Much Did You Pay for It?
Ikura de kaimashita ka?
How much did you buy it for?
Think of it as: “At what price did you buy it?”
Ikura vs Ikutsu: “How Much?” vs “How Many?”
English distinguishes how much and how many. Japanese often uses different question words too.
how much; what price; what amount
いくつ
how many; how many items; what age (in some contexts)
How much is this?
⇒ asks the price
りんごはいくつありますか？
How many apples are there?
⇒ asks the number of items
For shopping prices, いくら is the clear first choice.
これはいくらですか？
How much is this?
Duration:
どのくらいかかりますか？
How long will it take?
Distance:
ここからどのくらいですか？
How far is it from here?
Number of items:
いくつありますか？
How many are there?
Does Ikura Mean Salmon Roe?
Yes—there is another Japanese word pronounced ikura:
ikura
salmon or trout roe, usually separated into individual eggs
The two words sound the same, but their origins and meanings are completely different.
how much; what amount; what price
⇒ native Japanese question word
イクラ
salmon roe
⇒ loanword from Russian ikra, meaning fish roe
In speech, grammar and context make the meaning clear.
The Classic Japanese Pun: イクラはいくらですか？
Ikura wa ikura desu ka?
How much is the salmon roe?
This is a classic example of a simple Japanese ダジャレ (dajare)—a pun based on similar or identical sounds.
That makes it perfect for remembering the phrase!
は = topic marker
いくら = how much
ですか = is it? / polite question
イクラはいくらですか？
How much is the salmon roe?
Why Is Salmon Roe Called Ikura in Japanese?
The food word イクラ comes from Russian ikra, a word referring broadly to fish roe.
In Japanese, however, イクラ developed a narrower meaning: it normally refers to mature salmon or trout eggs that have been separated into individual grains and salted or seasoned.
fish roe in a broad sense
↓
borrowed into Japanese
↓
Japanese イクラ
individual salmon or trout roe
イクラ usually refers to eggs separated into individual grains. 筋子 refers to roe that remains together inside the ovarian membrane.
Natural Shopping Dialogues with Ikura Desu Ka
Dialogue 1: Asking About a Souvenir
Excuse me. How much is this?
Staff: 2,000円です。
It is 2,000 yen.
Customer: じゃあ、これをください。
Then, I’ll take this one.
Dialogue 2: Asking About One Item
How much is one of these sweets?
Staff: 一つ300円です。
One is 300 yen.
Dialogue 3: Asking for the Total
How much is it altogether?
Staff: 4,800円です。
It is 4,800 yen.
Dialogue 4: At a Market
How much is this fish?
Seller: 1,200円です。
It is 1,200 yen.
Customer: では、一つお願いします。
Then, one please.
Dialogue 5: The Salmon Roe Pun
How much is this salmon roe?
Staff: 100グラム1,500円です。
It is 1,500 yen per 100 grams.
Customer: 「イクラはいくら」ですね。
So it really is “How much is the ikura?”
Staff: はい、そうですね。
Yes, that’s right.
Using Ikura Desu Ka at Restaurants, Hotels, and Ticket Counters
At a Restaurant
このセットはいくらですか？
Kono setto wa ikura desu ka?
How much is this set?
When asking for the bill, Japanese speakers often say:
Okaikei o onegai shimasu.
The bill, please.
You can ask お会計はいくらですか, but requesting the bill is often more natural than asking its amount before the staff calculates it.
At a Hotel
一泊いくらですか？
Ippaku ikura desu ka?
How much is one night?
朝食付きでいくらですか？
Chōshoku-tsuki de ikura desu ka?
How much is it with breakfast included?
At a Ticket Counter
京都までいくらですか？
Kyōto made ikura desu ka?
How much is it to Kyoto?
In a Taxi
駅までだいたいいくらですか？
Eki made daitai ikura desu ka?
Approximately how much is it to the station?
It is useful when the exact price may change, as with a taxi fare or repair estimate.
How to Understand Japanese Price Answers
When you ask いくらですか, the answer will normally end in 円です.
Hyaku-en desu.
It is 100 yen.
500円です。
Gohyaku-en desu.
It is 500 yen.
1,000円です。
Sen-en desu.
It is 1,000 yen.
3,800円です。
Sanzen happyaku-en desu.
It is 3,800 yen.
もう一度お願いします。
Please say it one more time.
書いていただけますか？
Could you write it down?
You can also show the calculator app on your phone.
Related Meanings of Ikura
Once you know the price question, you will start noticing いくら in other patterns.
いくらでも: As Much as You Want / Any Amount
水はいくらでも飲んでください。
Mizu wa ikura demo nonde kudasai.
Drink as much water as you like.
いくら～ても: No Matter How Much…
いくら考えても分かりません。
Ikura kangaete mo wakarimasen.
No matter how much I think about it, I do not understand.
いくらか: Some / A Certain Amount
いくらか安くなりました。
Ikura ka yasuku narimashita.
It became somewhat cheaper.
一万いくら: Ten Thousand and Something
一万いくらだったと思います。
Ichiman ikura datta to omoimasu.
I think it was ten thousand and something.
これ、いくらですか？
How much is this?
全部でいくらですか？
How much is it altogether?
Common Beginner Mistakes
Mistake 1: Saying いくら Too Casually to Staff
これ、いくら？
Better with staff:
これ、いくらですか？
Mistake 2: Confusing いくら and いくつ
Use いくら for price and いくつ for the number of items.
りんごはいくらですか？
How much are the apples?
Number:
りんごはいくつありますか？
How many apples are there?
Mistake 3: Using いくら for Every English “How Much”
English “how much” can ask about money, time, distance, or degree. Japanese often uses どのくらい for non-price meanings.
Mistake 4: Forgetting the Question Particle か
In polite Japanese, か clearly marks the question.
いくらです。
It is how much. (Normally incomplete or unnatural without context.)
Question:
いくらですか？
How much is it?
Mistake 5: Thinking イクラ and いくら Have the Same Origin
They only happen to sound alike. The question word is native Japanese, while the food word is borrowed from Russian.
Natural Example Sentences with Ikura
これはいくらですか？
Kore wa ikura desu ka?
How much is this?
その靴はいくらですか？
Sono kutsu wa ikura desu ka?
How much are those shoes?
一ついくらですか？
Hitotsu ikura desu ka?
How much is one?
全部でいくらですか？
Zenbu de ikura desu ka?
How much is it altogether?
送料はいくらですか？
Sōryō wa ikura desu ka?
How much is shipping?
入場料はいくらですか？
Nyūjōryō wa ikura desu ka?
How much is admission?
一泊いくらですか？
Ippaku ikura desu ka?
How much is one night?
駅までいくらですか？
Eki made ikura desu ka?
How much is it to the station?
修理にはいくらかかりますか？
Shūri ni wa ikura kakarimasu ka?
How much will the repair cost?
この時計をいくらで買いましたか？
Kono tokei o ikura de kaimashita ka?
How much did you buy this watch for?
予算はおいくらですか？
Yosan wa oikura desu ka?
What is your budget?
このイクラはいくらですか？
Kono ikura wa ikura desu ka?
How much is this salmon roe?
FAQ About Ikura Desu Ka
What does ikura desu ka mean?
いくらですか means “How much is it?” or “How much does it cost?” It is a standard polite question about price.
How do you say “How much is this?” in Japanese?
Say これはいくらですか. In natural conversation, これ、いくらですか is also very common.
Is ikura desu ka polite?
Yes. It is polite enough for normal interactions with staff. おいくらですか is a more refined version.
How do you pronounce ikura desu ka?
Pronounce it in six morae: い・く・ら・で・す・か. The vowel in す may sound very light in natural speech, making ですか sound close to des-ka.
How is ikura written in Japanese?
The question word is normally written in hiragana as いくら. The kanji spelling 幾ら is possible but less common in everyday writing.
Does ikura mean salmon roe?
イクラ, written in katakana, means salmon or trout roe. It sounds the same as いくら, meaning “how much,” but the words have different origins.
Why is salmon roe called ikura?
The food word comes from Russian ikra, meaning fish roe. In Japanese, its meaning narrowed mainly to separated salmon or trout eggs.
What does “Ikura wa ikura desu ka?” mean?
イクラはいくらですか means “How much is the salmon roe?” It is also a simple Japanese pun because イクラ and いくら sound the same.
What is the difference between ikura and ikutsu?
いくら asks “how much” or “what price.” いくつ asks “how many” when counting items.
What is the difference between ikura and dono kurai?
いくら is the standard choice for price. どのくらい is often used for duration, distance, degree, or general amount.
How do you ask for the total price in Japanese?
Say 全部でいくらですか or 全部でいくらになりますか.
How do you ask how much a service will cost?
Use いくらかかりますか, as in 修理にはいくらかかりますか, “How much will the repair cost?”
Summary: Ikura Desu Ka Meaning and Usage
いくらですか means “How much is it?” or “How much does it cost?”
● Most useful shopping phrase
これ、いくらですか？
How much is this?
● Pronunciation
い・く・ら・で・す・か — six morae.
The u in ですか may sound very light.
● Politeness
いくらですか = standard polite
おいくらですか = more refined or formal
いくら？ = casual
● Useful variations
全部でいくらですか？ = How much altogether?
一ついくらですか？ = How much is one?
いくらかかりますか？ = How much will it cost?
いくらで買いましたか？ = How much did you buy it for?
● Homophone
いくら = how much
イクラ = salmon roe, from Russian ikra
● Classic pun
イクラはいくらですか？
How much is the salmon roe?
すみません。これ、いくらですか？
And if the item happens to be salmon roe, you can even make a Japanese pun while asking the real price!
References
- The Japan Foundation, IRODORI Starter Lesson 16: これ、いくらですか？
- The Japan Foundation, Erin’s Challenge Lesson 6: いくらですか。～円です。
- Kotobank / Digital Daijisen and Seisenban Nihon Kokugo Daijiten: 幾ら
- Kotobank / Progressive Japanese-English Dictionary: 幾ら
- Kotobank / Digital Daijisen and other dictionaries: イクラ
- Kotobank / Progressive Russian-Japanese Dictionary: икра