A Few and A Little: Rules, Differences and Examples

We use a few with plural countable nouns: things we can count, like books, minutes, people and ideas. It means a small number, usually more than two but not many.

The noun after a few is always plural: a few days, not a few day. The verb after a few + noun is also plural: A few people are waiting.

A few is positive. It means the number is small, but it is enough, or it is better than nothing: I've got a few euros, so I can buy a coffee.

We use a little with uncountable nouns: things we cannot count one by one, like water, money, time, help, information and music. It means a small amount.

Uncountable nouns are singular, so the verb is singular too: There is a little soup left.

Like a few, a little is positive. It says the amount is small, but there is some, and that is useful: Don't worry, we still have a little time.

When we remove a, the meaning changes. Few and little on their own are negative. They mean not many or not much, often less than we want or need.

Compare: She has a few friends at her new school (she is fine, she has some friends) and She has few friends at her new school (she is lonely, she has almost none).

Also compare: We have a little money, so let's eat out (some money, enough) and We have little money, so we can't eat out (almost none).

Few and little alone sound quite formal. In everyday speech, people usually say not many or not much instead: She doesn't have many friends. We don't have much money. People also say very few and very little, which sound natural in both speech and writing. See much, many and a lot of for those words.

Some small changes give useful new meanings.

Quite a few means a fairly large number, not a small one. Quite a few people liked your post means many people liked it. There is also quite a bit (of) for uncountable nouns: quite a bit of money.

Only a few and only a little stress that the amount is small, often smaller than expected: Only a few people came.

A little can also go before an adjective or adverb, where it means slightly or a bit: a little cold, a little late, a little more slowly. A few cannot be used this way. In informal English, a bit and a little bit are very common: I'm a bit tired. Can I have a little bit more?

Before the, my, these, those and other determiners, add of: a few of my friends, a little of the cake. Before a noun with no determiner, do not use of: a few friends, not a few of friends.

A few and a little can also stand alone as pronouns when the noun is clear: Do you have any stamps? Yes, I have a few. Is there any coffee? There's a little.

In questions and offers, a few and a little sound friendly and polite: Would you like a little more rice? For general amounts in questions, we usually use some and any; see some vs any.

In conversation, a few and a little are everywhere, especially with time. People say I'll be there in a few minutes, Give me a few days, or Can you wait a little? You will also hear a little and a bit to make a complaint or criticism softer: It's a little expensive. The soup is a bit salty.

When you are not sure if a noun is countable, think about whether you can put a number in front of it. Two coins? Yes, so a few coins. Two moneys? No, so a little money. To say a number is too small or too big, see too and enough.