When you're just starting to learn Italian, words like "poco" are really useful! It means "a small amount" or "little." Think of it like saying you have "little time" or "a small quantity" of something.
It's an adjective, so it will change based on the noun it describes. For example, you might say "poca acqua" (little water) or "pochi libri" (few books).
This word is super practical for everyday conversations, especially when you're talking about quantities.
When used as an adjective, poco means 'little' or 'a small amount' and it agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies. For example, 'poco tempo' means 'little time'.
It can also be used as an adverb, meaning 'little' or 'not much', and in this case it is invariable. For example, 'parlo poco' means 'I speak little'.
Poco can also be part of a few common expressions. 'Tra poco' means 'in a little while' and 'un poco di' means 'a little bit of'.
Understanding these different uses will significantly improve your comprehension and fluency in Italian.
When we use "poco" as an adjective, it means "a small amount of" or "little." It changes its ending to match the noun it describes in terms of gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural).
For example, if you say "I have little time," you'd use "poco tempo" because "tempo" is masculine singular. If you're talking about "few books," it would be "pochi libri" since "libri" is masculine plural.
It's important to remember that "poco" directly modifies the noun, telling you there isn't much of it. This is different from its use as an adverb, which we'll cover separately.
Mastering this adjective form helps you express quantities accurately in everyday Italian.
poco en 30 segundos
- Not much of something.
- Indicates a small quantity.
- Similar to 'little' or 'few'.
§ What 'Poco' Means
- Definition
- In Italian, 'poco' as an adjective means 'a small amount' or 'little'. It's used to describe nouns that are not in great quantity.
When you're starting to learn Italian, words like 'poco' are super useful because they help you describe things simply. Think of it as the opposite of 'molto' (much/many). 'Poco' is all about scarcity. It's one of those words you'll hear and use constantly in everyday conversations, whether you're talking about food, time, or anything else that comes in quantities.
§ How to Use 'Poco' as an Adjective
As an adjective, 'poco' needs to agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. This means it changes its ending based on whether the noun is masculine or feminine, singular or plural. This is a fundamental concept in Italian grammar, so it's good to get comfortable with it early on.
- Poco: Masculine singular (e.g., poco tempo - little time)
- Poca: Feminine singular (e.g., poca acqua - little water)
- Pochi: Masculine plural (e.g., pochi libri - few books)
- Poche: Feminine plural (e.g., poche idee - few ideas)
This agreement is crucial for making your Italian sound natural and correct. Don't worry if it feels a bit tricky at first; practice makes perfect!
§ Common Situations for 'Poco'
You'll find yourself using 'poco' in a wide variety of situations. Here are some common ones:
- Talking about food and drink: When you have a small portion or not much of something.
- Discussing time: If you have a short amount of time, or something takes a short time.
- Referring to abstract concepts: Like 'little patience' or 'few ideas'.
Let's look at some examples to really cement this in your mind.
Ho poco tempo. (I have little time.)
Here, 'tempo' is masculine singular, so we use 'poco'.
C'è poca acqua nella bottiglia. (There is little water in the bottle.)
'Acqua' is feminine singular, so we use 'poca'.
Ho letto pochi libri quest'anno. (I have read few books this year.)
'Libri' is masculine plural, so we use 'pochi'.
Ci sono poche persone alla festa. (There are few people at the party.)
'Persone' is feminine plural, so we use 'poche'.
Understanding and correctly using 'poco' will significantly boost your ability to express quantities in Italian. Keep practicing these variations, and you'll be using 'poco' like a native in no time!
Dato curioso
The Latin root 'paucus' also gives us English words like 'paucity' and 'pauper'.
Guía de pronunciación
- pronouncing 'o' like in 'go'
- over-emphasizing the double 'c'
Gramática que debes saber
Like other Italian adjectives, 'poco' changes its ending to match the gender and number of the noun it describes. For masculine singular, it's 'poco'.
Ho poco pane. (I have little bread.)
For feminine singular, 'poco' becomes 'poca'.
C'è poca acqua. (There is little water.)
For masculine plural, 'poco' becomes 'pochi'.
Ci sono pochi uomini. (There are few men.)
For feminine plural, 'poco' becomes 'poche'.
Ci sono poche donne. (There are few women.)
When 'poco' is used as an adverb (meaning 'little' or 'not much'), it remains unchanged.
Parlo poco italiano. (I speak little Italian.)
Ejemplos por nivel
Ho poco tempo per studiare.
I have little time to study.
C'è poco zucchero nel caffè.
There is little sugar in the coffee.
Manca poco al Natale.
Christmas is not far (little is missing until Christmas).
Parlo poco italiano.
I speak little Italian.
Abbiamo poco pane.
We have little bread.
Voglio un poco d'acqua.
I want a little water.
When 'poco' is used with 'un' (a/an), it can mean 'a little bit'.
Ha poco lavoro oggi.
He/She has little work today.
Mangio poco a colazione.
I eat little for breakfast.
Poca pioggia è caduta quest'anno, causando siccità in diverse regioni.
Little rain has fallen this year, causing drought in several regions.
Here 'poca' (feminine singular) agrees with 'pioggia' (feminine singular).
Abbiamo poco tempo per finire il progetto prima della scadenza.
We have little time to finish the project before the deadline.
'Poco' (masculine singular) agrees with 'tempo' (masculine singular).
C'è poca speranza che la situazione migliori senza interventi immediati.
There is little hope that the situation will improve without immediate interventions.
'Poca' (feminine singular) agrees with 'speranza' (feminine singular).
Malgrado il suo talento, ha avuto poche opportunità di dimostrare il suo valore.
Despite his talent, he had few opportunities to demonstrate his worth.
'Poche' (feminine plural) agrees with 'opportunità' (feminine plural).
Per un tale incarico, sono richieste poche competenze specialistiche.
For such a task, few specialized skills are required.
'Poche' (feminine plural) agrees with 'competenze' (feminine plural).
Ha viaggiato molto, ma ha visto poco del mondo con occhi critici.
He has traveled a lot, but has seen little of the world with critical eyes.
Here 'poco' is used adverbially, modifying the verb 'ha visto' (has seen).
Mi preoccupa che ci sia poca comprensione tra le diverse fazioni politiche.
I am concerned that there is little understanding among the different political factions.
'Poca' (feminine singular) agrees with 'comprensione' (feminine singular).
Dopo l'incidente, c'era poco da fare per salvare il veicolo.
After the accident, there was little to do to save the vehicle.
Here 'poco' is used as a pronoun, meaning 'a small amount/little thing'.
Colocaciones comunes
Frases Comunes
Ho poco tempo.
I have little time.
C'è poco zucchero nel caffè.
There is little sugar in the coffee.
Parlo poco italiano.
I speak little Italian.
Manca poco alla fine.
There's little left until the end.
Dista poco da qui.
It's not far from here.
Vorrei un po' di pane, per favore.
I would like a little bread, please.
Ha mangiato poco.
He ate little.
Abbiamo poco cibo.
We have little food.
Ci sono poche persone qui.
There are few people here.
Poco importa.
It matters little.
Se confunde a menudo con
'Molto' is the opposite of 'poco', meaning 'much' or 'a lot'.
'Troppo' means 'too much' or 'too many', indicating an excess.
While 'solo' means 'only' or 'just', it can sometimes be confused in contexts where 'only a little' is implied, but the core meaning is different.
Fácil de confundir
'Pochino' is the diminutive form of 'poco'.
'Poco' means 'a small amount', while 'pochino' means 'a very small amount' or 'a little bit'. It's more affectionate or slight.
Vorrei un pochino di zucchero. (I would like a *little bit* of sugar.)
'Pochi' is the masculine plural form of 'poco'.
'Poco' is singular, referring to a small amount of something uncountable. 'Pochi' refers to a small number of countable items.
Ci sono pochi libri qui. (There are *few* books here.)
'Poca' is the feminine singular form of 'poco'.
Similar to 'poco', but used with feminine singular nouns. It still means 'a small amount'.
C'è poca acqua nel bicchiere. (There is *little* water in the glass.)
'Poche' is the feminine plural form of 'poco'.
Similar to 'pochi', but used with feminine plural countable nouns. It means 'few'.
Ho poche amiche in questa città. (I have *few* friends in this city.)
'Un po'' is a common phrase that often translates similarly to 'poco'.
'Un po'' is a contraction of 'un poco' and means 'a little'. It's often used with 'di' for 'a little of something'. 'Poco' as an adjective directly modifies a noun.
Vorrei un po' di pane. (I would like *a little* bread.)
Origen de la palabra
Latin 'paucus'
Significado original: few, little
Indo-European (Italic branch)Contexto cultural
<p>In Italian culture, 'poco' is used very similarly to 'little' or 'a small amount' in English. It can be used for both countable and uncountable nouns, though 'pochi/poche' is used for plural countable nouns. It's a fundamental word you'll hear constantly in everyday conversation.</p>
Ponte a prueba 54 preguntas
Choose the best translation for: 'Ho poco tempo.'
Poco means a small amount or little. So, 'Ho poco tempo' translates to 'I have little time.'
Which sentence correctly uses 'poco' to mean 'a small quantity'?
'Lei parla poco italiano' means 'She speaks little Italian', indicating a small quantity of Italian spoken.
If you want to say 'I eat little bread,' which option is correct?
To express 'I eat little bread,' the correct Italian phrase is 'Mangio poco pane.' 'Poco' here indicates a small amount.
The sentence 'Lui ha poco denaro' means 'He has a lot of money.'
'Lui ha poco denaro' means 'He has little money,' not a lot. 'Poco' means a small amount.
In 'Beviamo poca acqua,' 'poca' indicates a small amount of water.
Yes, 'poca' (feminine form of poco) correctly signifies a small amount of water in the sentence 'Beviamo poca acqua' (We drink little water).
If someone says 'Ho poco sonno,' they mean they are very sleepy.
'Ho poco sonno' literally means 'I have little sleep.' In context, it usually means 'I am not very sleepy,' not 'very sleepy.'
Listen for 'poco' and what it modifies.
Notice if 'poco' is singular or plural, masculine or feminine.
Identify what 'poco' refers to in the sentence.
Read this aloud:
Ho poco denaro per comprare quel vestito.
Focus: Poco
Dijiste:
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Read this aloud:
Parlo un poco di italiano.
Focus: un poco
Dijiste:
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Read this aloud:
Voglio solo un poco di pace.
Focus: pace
Dijiste:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Write two sentences describing something you have a 'small amount' of, using 'poco'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Ho poco pane. C'è poco latte nel frigo.
Imagine you are making a shopping list. Write one item you need 'a little' of, using 'poco'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Devo comprare poco formaggio.
Describe a situation where you might say 'poco' to indicate not much of something. For example, 'I have little patience.'
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Quando i miei figli sono rumorosi, ho poca pazienza.
Perché Maria ha poco tempo per uscire con gli amici?
Read this passage:
Maria non ha molto tempo libero questa settimana. Ha molto lavoro e deve anche studiare per un esame importante. Quindi, ha poco tempo per uscire con gli amici.
Perché Maria ha poco tempo per uscire con gli amici?
The passage states, 'Ha molto lavoro e deve anche studiare per un esame importante. Quindi, ha poco tempo per uscire con gli amici.'
The passage states, 'Ha molto lavoro e deve anche studiare per un esame importante. Quindi, ha poco tempo per uscire con gli amici.'
Cosa indica 'poco rumore' nel testo?
Read this passage:
In casa mia c'è sempre poco rumore. Mi piace la tranquillità. I miei vicini sono molto silenziosi e non ho animali domestici. Così posso lavorare e leggere in pace.
Cosa indica 'poco rumore' nel testo?
The passage says, 'Mi piace la tranquillità. I miei vicini sono molto silenziosi... Così posso lavorare e leggere in pace,' which all indicate a quiet environment.
The passage says, 'Mi piace la tranquillità. I miei vicini sono molto silenziosi... Così posso lavorare e leggere in pace,' which all indicate a quiet environment.
Perché la persona ha usato poco sale nella pasta?
Read this passage:
Ho messo poco sale nella pasta perché non mi piace quando è troppo salata. Preferisco aggiungere un po' di pepe per dare più sapore. Il risultato è una pasta leggera e gustosa.
Perché la persona ha usato poco sale nella pasta?
The passage explicitly states, 'non mi piace quando è troppo salata.'
The passage explicitly states, 'non mi piace quando è troppo salata.'
The correct order is 'Ho poco soldi.', meaning 'I have little money.'
The correct order is 'È poco latte nel frigo.', meaning 'There is little milk in the fridge.'
The correct order is 'Ho un poco tempo.', meaning 'I have a little time.'
Choose the correct form of 'poco' to complete the sentence: 'Abbiamo ______ pazienza con i ritardatari.'
Pazienza (patience) is a feminine singular noun, so 'poca' is the correct form.
Which sentence correctly uses 'poco'?
Problemi (problems) is a masculine plural noun, so 'pochi' is correct. The other options have agreement errors.
Complete the sentence with the appropriate form of 'poco': 'Solo con ______ impegno non si ottengono grandi risultati.'
Impegno (effort) is a masculine singular noun, so 'poco' is the correct form.
The sentence 'Ho pochi soldi per andare in vacanza' means 'I have little money to go on vacation.'
Soldi (money) is a masculine plural noun, so 'pochi' is the correct form and the translation is accurate.
In the sentence 'C'era poca gente alla festa', 'poca' refers to a small number of things.
'Gente' (people) is a feminine singular noun in Italian, referring to a group of people, so 'poca' refers to a small number of people, not things.
The phrase 'fra poco' translates to 'in a little while' or 'soon'.
'Fra poco' is a common Italian idiom meaning 'in a little while' or 'soon'.
Listen for 'pochi' and understand its meaning in the context of money.
Pay attention to 'poca' and how it describes the number of people.
Identify 'poco' and its usage with an uncountable noun like sugar.
Read this aloud:
C'è poco tempo per finire il progetto.
Focus: pò-co
Dijiste:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Ho mangiato un poco di pane.
Focus: pà-ne
Dijiste:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Parlo poco italiano, ma sto imparando.
Focus: im-pa-ràn-do
Dijiste:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
The correct order forms a sentence meaning 'We have little time to finish the project.'
The correct order forms a sentence meaning 'There is little coffee in the cup.'
The correct order forms a sentence meaning 'She speaks very little Italian well.'
Choose the correct sentence: To express that you have a limited understanding of a complex philosophical concept, you would say:
'Poco' correctly conveys a limited understanding, fitting the nuance of a complex subject.
Which sentence correctly uses 'poco' to describe a situation where resources are scarce for an ambitious project?
'Poco' indicates a small or insufficient amount of capital, which is appropriate for describing a scarcity of resources.
To describe a novel that has a limited number of devoted readers, despite its literary merit, you would say:
'Pochi' (plural form of poco) accurately describes a small quantity of readers.
The phrase 'Ho poco da dirti' implies that there is a substantial amount of information to convey.
'Ho poco da dirti' means 'I have little to tell you,' implying a small amount of information.
If someone says 'Non mangio quasi poco,' they are indicating they eat very little.
'Non mangio quasi poco' is grammatically incorrect and confusing. 'Non mangio quasi nulla' or 'Mangio molto poco' would indicate eating very little.
When describing a person who is rarely seen, you could say 'Si vede poco in giro.'
'Si vede poco in giro' translates to 'He/she is rarely seen around,' correctly using 'poco' to denote infrequency.
In un contesto formale, quale tra le seguenti espressioni si adatta meglio per indicare una carenza significativa di risorse?
La 'scarsità' denota una mancanza considerevole, più appropriata in un contesto formale rispetto agli altri termini che, pur indicando piccolezza, non esprimono la stessa gravità o formalità.
Quale tra le seguenti opzioni esprime meglio il concetto di 'poco' in un senso dispregiativo, riferendosi a un valore o una quantità insufficiente a soddisfare le aspettative?
'Misero' implica un valore così basso da essere quasi spregevole o insufficiente, conferendo una sfumatura dispregiativa che le altre opzioni non possiedono con la stessa intensità.
Se si volesse enfatizzare la quasi totale assenza di qualcosa, quale aggettivo sarebbe il più idoneo?
'Infimo' si riferisce al grado più basso o alla quantità più piccola possibile, suggerendo una vicinanza all'assenza totale, più forte di 'minimo' o 'trascurabile'.
L'espressione 'non poco' è sempre equivalente a 'molto' e non può mai implicare una quantità moderata.
'Non poco' può significare 'abbastanza' o 'una quantità considerevole', ma non necessariamente 'molto' in senso assoluto. La sua interpretazione dipende dal contesto, potendo indicare anche una quantità moderata ma comunque significativa.
Usare 'pochissimo' invece di 'molto poco' è sempre preferibile in contesti formali per esprimere una quantità estremamente ridotta.
'Pochissimo' è la forma superlativa di 'poco' e, come tale, è più concisa e generalmente preferita in contesti formali per esprimere una quantità estremamente ridotta, mentre 'molto poco' può risultare leggermente più colloquiale o ridondante.
Il termine 'poco' può fungere da sostantivo, ad esempio in espressioni come 'il poco che abbiamo', mantenendo il suo significato di 'piccola quantità'.
Sì, 'poco' può essere sostantivato, come nell'esempio 'il poco che abbiamo', dove si riferisce alla 'piccola quantità' o 'ciò che è poco', mantenendo il suo significato fondamentale.
/ 54 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
Poco means a small amount or quantity, and is used like 'little' or 'few' in English.
- Not much of something.
- Indicates a small quantity.
- Similar to 'little' or 'few'.
Contenido relacionado
Esta palabra en otros idiomas
Frases relacionadas
Más palabras de general
abbagliare
C1To dazzle or blind with light or beauty
abbaglio
C1A serious mistake or misconception.
abbreviare
B1To make something shorter.
abnegazione
C1Self-sacrifice or renunciation of one's own interests
accadere
B1To happen or occur.
accadimento
B2An event, occurrence, or happening.
accaduto
B1What happened or the event that occurred.
accanito
C1Fierce, persistent, or relentless in pursuit
accantonare
C1To put aside for future use or discard.
accattivante
C1witty, charming, or attractive.
