ホーム / 記事 / 単語 / "Few" と "a few"の違い

"Few" と "a few"の違い

"A few missing" by Wil C. Fry via Flickr
"Few" and "a few"の違いを学びましょう。使い分けによって表現のニュアンスが変わります。

数えられる名詞について話をするとき、数量を付け加えるのが英語。ただしはっきりした数ではなく、おおよその数量であることが、ポイントです。ネイティブにa fewって具体的にいくつなのかきいても、おそらく”3?4? 正確にはわからない…状況によるかな”という返事がかえってくるでしょう…

These number words are understood by comparing them with one another:

few < a few < some

But they do not mean an exact number.

The difference between "few" and "a few" is easy. The "a" makes a big difference. When you say 'a few', it sounds like more than 'few', but less than 'some'. When there are a few, there are usually enough of something, but not many. In general, when you use 'few', the sentence has a negative nuance. It sounds like a small number. It seems like there are not enough of something. 

Compare these two examples:

  1. "Few people came to my party;" and 
  2. "A few people came to my party."

In sentence 2, it sounds like it was a good party, and I had a nice time. Hooray! Sentence 1 sounds like there was almost nobody at the party, and it was a little sad. I would feel like I have no friends if few people came to my party. I'd be so alone...

Here's another pair of sentences to help you understand:

  1. "There are few cars on the road at 5am;" and
  2. "There are a few cars on the road at 7am." 

In the first sentence, I would expect the roads to be close to empty. In the second sentence, I would expect there to be a little traffic.

Leave a comment if you have a question!

  • ユーザー Matthew の写真
    Matthew
    About me
    I am from New Zealand. I lived in Japan and Brazil for a long time, but now I am back home in Auckland. I am the founder of Poligo. I like to play guitar and video games and surf when I get the chance. I have a wife and two boys.
    Experience
    I specialize in teaching English to professionals and English teachers. I have taught English since 2001 in Japan, New Zealand and Brazil. I speak Japanese & Portuguese. I am the founder of Poligo and The English Farm (an online school for business English).

ポリゴとは?

塾講師、学校教師など英語のプロたちから絶大な信頼をうけるネイティブの英語講師陣による、英語校閲&解説サービス。あなたの理解度・満足度が100%になるまでおつきあい! 入会金/会費無・利用時払い可能・1文字2円から・退会自由・プライバシー厳守。英語力UP効果抜群のブログも展開中です。通常12時間以内、最長24時間以内の返信をお約束します。あなたの英語の文章がより洗練され、効率よく勉強できます。

  • 入会金無料
  • プライバシー厳守
  • 利用時払いも可能

書く英語力、鍛えよう