my %phrases = (
 "phrase 1"=>{
   qty=>1,
   qtySum=>5,
   qtyCont=>8
 },
 "phrase 2"=>{
   qty=>10,
   qtyCont=>34
 },
 "phrase 3"=>{qty=>1}
);

##</code><code>##

my %phrases = (
 "phrase 1"=>{
   qty=>1,
   qtySum=>5,
   qtyCont=>8,
   qtyTotal=>\&qtyTotal
 },
 "phrase 2"=>{
   qty=>10,
   qtyCont=>34,
   qtyTotal=>\&qtyTotal
 },
 "phrase 3"=>{
   qty=>1,
   qtyTotal=>\&qtyTotal
 }
);

sub qtyTotal{
 my $qty = 0;
 my $key = #I don't know what to use
 my $phObj = $phrases{$key};
 foreach my $qType ('qty', 'qtySum', 'qtyCont'){
  $qty += $phrases{$key}->{$qType} if exists $phrases{$key}->{$qType};
 }
 return $qty;
}

##</code><code>##

print "$phrases{'phrase 2'}->{'qtyTotal'}\n";