Less در مقابل Fewer: تفاوت چیست؟
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'fewer' for things you can count individually and 'less' for bulk amounts or abstract concepts.
- Use 'fewer' with plural nouns like 'fewer books' or 'fewer people'.
- Use 'less' with singular/uncountable nouns like 'less water' or 'less time'.
- Use 'less' for measurements of time, money, and distance even if they look plural.
مرور کلی
less و fewer است. در زبان فارسی، ما برای بیان «کمتر بودن»، معمولاً از کلمه «کمتر» استفاده میکنیم و فرقی نمیکند که درباره چه چیزی صحبت میکنیم؛ مثلاً میگوییم «کتاب کمتر» یا «آب کمتر». اما در انگلیسی، ساختارِ دستوریِ این دو کلمه کاملاً با هم متفاوت است.fewer برای اشیاء قابلشمارش (countable nouns) و less برای مقادیر غیرقابلشمارش (uncountable nouns) به کار میرود. این تفاوت، ریشه در ساختارِ منطقیِ زبان انگلیسی دارد که بین «تعداد» (تکتکِ اجزا) و «مقدار» (حجم یا جرم) تمایز قائل میشود. عدم رعایت این نکته میتواند در محیطهای آکادمیک یا جلسات کاری، نشاندهنده عدم تسلط شما به جزئیاتِ دستوری باشد.less و fewer، ابتدا باید مفهوم «اسمهای قابلشمارش» و «غیرقابلشمارش» را در انگلیسی بشناسیم. اسمهای قابلشمارش (countable nouns) چیزهایی هستند که میتوانیم آنها را با عدد بشماریم، مثل book (کتاب)، student (دانشجو)، یا chair (صندلی). این کلمات دارای فرم جمع هستند (books, students).uncountable nouns یا mass nouns) چیزهایی هستند که به صورت توده، مفهومِ انتزاعی یا ماده دیده میشوند و معمولاً فرم جمع ندارند، مثل water (آب)، information (اطلاعات)، advice (توصیه) یا stress (استرس).How many?) از fewer استفاده میکنیم. مثلاً: fewer students (دانشجویان کمتر). برای اسمهای غیرقابلشمارش (که میتوانیم بپرسیم چقدر؟ یا How much?) از less استفاده میکنیم. مثلاً: less water (آب کمتر).less students، شنوندهی انگلیسیزبان بلافاصله متوجه میشود که شما تفاوتِ بین «تعداد» و «مقدار» را رعایت نکردهاید. این موضوع دقیقاً شبیه به تفاوتِ many و much است؛ همانطور که میگوییم many books و much water، باید بگوییم fewer books و less water.fewer cars | There are fewer cars on the street. |fewer problems | I have fewer problems today. |less time | We have less time than before. |less energy | She has less energy in the morning. |fewer همیشه قبل از اسمِ جمع میآید و less همیشه قبل از اسمِ غیرقابلشمارش که معمولاً به صورت مفرد ظاهر میشود، قرار میگیرد. این ساختارِ ثابت، به شما کمک میکند تا در مکالماتِ روزمره یا هنگام نوشتنِ ایمیلهای اداری، دچار اشتباه نشوید.fewer invoices، اما اگر منظور شما «مقدارِ بودجه» باشد، باید بگویید less money.fewer زمانی استفاده کنید که میخواهید روی «تعدادِ موارد» تأکید کنید. مثلاً در هنگامِ خرید در بازار، اگر میخواهید بگویید «من سیبهای کمتری نسبت به تو خریدم»، میگویید: I bought fewer apples than you. چون سیبها را میتوان شمرد.less زمانی استفاده کنید که با «کمیتِ کلی» یا «مفهومِ انتزاعی» سروکار دارید. مثلاً وقتی میخواهید به کسی بگویید «استرسِ کمتری داشته باش»، میگویید: Have less stress. چون استرس یک مقدارِ انتزاعی است و نمیتوان آن را با عدد شمرد. همچنین در موردِ زمان (time)، پول (money) و وزن (weight)، اگر آنها را به عنوان یک «مجموع» یا «واحدِ کامل» در نظر بگیریم، از less استفاده میکنیم؛ مثلاً: less than 5 hours (کمتر از ۵ ساعت) یا less than 10 dollars (کمتر از ۱۰ دلار).less استفاده میکنیم.- 1استفاده از
lessبرای اسامی قابلشمارش: این رایجترین اشتباهِ فارسیزبانان است. مثلاً میگویندless peopleبه جایfewer people. دلیل آن، ترجمه مستقیم از فارسی است که در آن «کمتر» برای همه چیز استفاده میشود. در انگلیسی،peopleقابلشمارش است، پس باید ازfewerاستفاده کرد.
- 1استفاده از
fewerبرای اسامی غیرقابلشمارش: برخی فکر میکنند چونfewerرسمیتر به نظر میرسد، باید همه جا از آن استفاده کنند. مثلاً میگویندfewer water. این اشتباه است چونwaterغیرقابلشمارش است و باید ازlessاستفاده شود.
- 1نادیده گرفتنِ فرمِ جمع: فارسیزبانان گاهی بعد از
fewerاسمِ مفرد میآورند، مثلfewer book. چون در فارسی وقتی میگوییم «کتاب کمتر»، واژه کتاب مفرد است. اما در انگلیسی، بعد ازfewerحتماً باید اسمِ جمع بیاید:fewer books.
much و many مقایسه کنید:many | much |fewer | less |fewer در واقع معادلِ منفیِ many و less معادلِ منفیِ much است. هرگز نباید این دو دسته را با هم ترکیب کنید.- 1آیا در انگلیسیِ محاورهای میتوان به جای
fewerازlessاستفاده کرد؟
less برای همه چیز استفاده میکنند (مثل تابلوی فروشگاهها که مینویسند 10 items or less). اما در نوشتارِ آکادمیک و رسمی، حتماً باید از fewer برای اشیاء قابلشمارش استفاده کنید.- 1آیا برای
moneyهمیشه ازlessاستفاده میکنیم؟
coins یا bills) اشاره کنید که قابلشمارش هستند.- 1اگر اسمی هم قابلشمارش باشد و هم غیرقابلشمارش، چه کنیم؟
coffee میتوانند در دو حالت باشند (یک فنجان قهوه در مقابلِ مقدارِ کلیِ قهوه). اگر منظورتان فنجانهاست، از fewer و اگر منظورتان مایعِ قهوه است، از less استفاده کنید.Quantifier Usage by Noun Type
| Noun Type | Quantifier | Example | Check Question |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Countable (Plural)
|
Fewer
|
Fewer apples
|
How many?
|
|
Uncountable (Mass)
|
Less
|
Less water
|
How much?
|
|
Time/Money/Distance
|
Less
|
Less than $5
|
Is it a total amount?
|
|
Abstract Qualities
|
Less
|
Less hope
|
Can you count it?
|
Meanings
Both words are the comparative forms of 'few' and 'little', used to describe a smaller amount or number of something compared to something else.
Countable Comparison
Used to compare individual items that can be counted (plural nouns).
“There are fewer students in class today.”
“We need fewer chairs for the meeting.”
Uncountable Comparison
Used to compare mass nouns, qualities, or abstract concepts that cannot be counted.
“I have less money than I thought.”
“Please put less salt in the soup.”
Measurement Exception
Used for units of time, money, distance, and weight when they are viewed as a total amount rather than individual units.
“The trip took less than three hours.”
“It costs less than fifty dollars.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative (Countable)
|
Fewer + Plural Noun
|
I have fewer friends.
|
|
Affirmative (Uncountable)
|
Less + Singular Noun
|
I have less energy.
|
|
Negative
|
Not + Fewer/Less
|
There are not fewer options.
|
|
Question
|
Are there fewer...? / Is there less...?
|
Are there fewer seats?
|
|
Comparison
|
Fewer/Less + Noun + Than
|
He has less salt than me.
|
|
Measurement
|
Less than + Number + Unit
|
It is less than 5 miles.
|
|
Adverbial
|
Verb + Less
|
I sleep less than I used to.
|
طیف رسمیت
There were fewer attendees than anticipated. (Event attendance)
There were fewer people than we expected. (Event attendance)
There were less people than we thought. (Event attendance)
Hardly anyone showed up. (Event attendance)
The Countability Split
Fewer
- People Countable
- Bottles Countable
- Ideas Countable
Less
- Water Uncountable
- Money Uncountable
- Time Uncountable
Marbles vs. Sand
Which one should I use?
Is the noun plural?
Is it time, money, or distance?
Common Noun Categories
Fewer
- • Students
- • Cars
- • Cookies
Less
- • Rain
- • Traffic
- • Sugar
مثالها بر اساس سطح
I want less sugar in my tea.
He has fewer toys than me.
There is less milk in the fridge.
She has fewer pens.
We have less time than yesterday.
There are fewer cars on the road today.
I need to spend less money.
He made fewer mistakes in the test.
Fewer people are smoking these days.
This recipe uses less butter than the other one.
I have fewer opportunities to travel now.
The new engine produces less noise.
The project was completed in less than six months.
There were fewer than twenty applicants for the job.
I feel less confident about the results now.
We should use fewer resources and more creativity.
The policy resulted in fewer instances of corruption.
There is less likelihood of a recession this year.
Fewer and fewer students are choosing to study Latin.
The task was less daunting than I had imagined.
The manuscript contained no fewer than fifty errors.
The impact of the law was less than negligible.
Fewer still are those who truly understand the theory.
He is less a leader and more a figurehead.
بهراحتی اشتباه گرفته میشود
Learners mix up the base forms before they even get to the comparative forms.
Learners think 'lesser' is just a fancier version of 'less'.
Both can mean 'not as many as', but 'under' is often used for numbers.
اشتباهات رایج
I have less books.
I have fewer books.
Fewer water please.
Less water please.
I have less friends.
I have fewer friends.
Less cars on the road.
Fewer cars on the road.
He has fewer money.
He has less money.
I need fewer salt.
I need less salt.
Less than five students.
Fewer than five students.
Fewer than ten dollars.
Less than ten dollars.
Fewer than two hours.
Less than two hours.
I have fewer interest in art.
I have less interest in art.
The lesser people know, the better.
The less people know, the better.
Fewer than 50% of the population.
Less than 50% of the population.
He is fewer of a man.
He is less of a man.
الگوهای جملهسازی
I want to spend ___ time on ___.
There are ___ ___ in the room than yesterday.
We need ___ ___ to finish this project.
Eating ___ ___ will help you feel better.
Real World Usage
10 items or fewer.
You consumed fewer calories today.
Expect less rain this afternoon.
The company reported fewer profits this quarter.
I'm trying to have less screen time.
Requires less than 3 years of experience.
The 'S' Test
Money is Uncountable
The Measurement Rule
Don't be a 'Grammar Nazi'
Smart Tips
Always double-check your plural nouns. If it ends in 's', change 'less' to 'fewer'.
Always use 'less' unless you are talking about individual physical coins.
Try to put a number in front of it. If 'three sugars' sounds weird, use 'less'.
Remember that 'less than' is a fixed phrase for numbers and measurements.
تلفظ
Fewer
Two syllables: FEW-er. The 'w' sound is subtle.
Less
One syllable. Short 'e' sound as in 'bed'.
Comparative Stress
I want LESS sugar, not MORE.
Stress the quantifier to emphasize the change in amount.
حفظ کنید
روش یادسپاری
Fewer is for Fingers (you can count them). Less is for Liquid (you can't count it).
تداعی تصویری
Imagine a jar of jellybeans. You can count the beans (fewer beans), but you can't count the jelly (less jelly).
Rhyme
If you count them one by one, 'fewer' is the way it's done. If it's a pile or a mess, use the little word 'less'.
Story
A chef is making a cake. He needs fewer eggs (1, 2, 3) but less flour (a big pile). He looks at his watch and sees he has less than an hour left.
شبکه واژگان
چالش
Look around your room. Find three things you can count (use 'fewer') and three things you can't (use 'less'). Say them out loud.
نکات فرهنگی
Both dialects follow the same formal rule, but American English is slightly more permissive of 'less' in casual speech.
In universities, using 'less' with countable nouns is often seen as a sign of poor education.
In the UK, some supermarkets (like Tesco) changed their signs from '10 items or less' to '10 items or fewer' after public complaints from grammar enthusiasts.
Both words come from Old English. 'Less' comes from 'læs' (smaller), while 'fewer' comes from 'feawa' (not many).
شروعکنندههای مکالمه
Do you have less free time now than you did five years ago?
If you could have fewer responsibilities, which ones would you give away?
Does your city have fewer parks than it used to?
Would you prefer to work fewer hours for less money?
موضوعات نگارش
اشتباهات رایج
Test Yourself
There are ___ students in the library today than yesterday.
Which sentence is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
He made less mistakes on his second attempt.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
The trip takes ___ than three hours.
We should use ___ plastic bags.
I have ___ interest in politics than you.
Score: /8
تمرینهای عملی
8 exercisesThere are ___ students in the library today than yesterday.
Which sentence is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
He made less mistakes on his second attempt.
sugar / I / less / in / coffee / my / want
Match: 1. Less, 2. Fewer | A. Water, B. Bottles
The trip takes ___ than three hours.
We should use ___ plastic bags.
I have ___ interest in politics than you.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesThis digital camera has ___ moving parts than the old film cameras.
I'm trying to spend ___ money on clothes this year.
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose the correct sentence:
The grocery store's express lane is for ten items or less.
We need to generate fewer interest in this topic.
Translate into English: 'El proyecto costó menos de mil dólares.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the noun to whether you would use `less` or `fewer` with it.
There's ___ than a week until the final exam!
Translate into English: 'Hay menos oportunidades laborales este año.'
Score: /12
سوالات متداول (8)
Grammatically, yes. It should be `fewer` because items are countable. However, it is so common that it's accepted in casual English.
Because distance is seen as a total amount or a single measurement, not as individual miles you count one by one.
In formal writing, no. Use `fewer people`. In casual speech, you will hear `less people`, but it's better to avoid it.
`Less` refers to quantity (amount), while `lesser` refers to quality, importance, or rank (e.g., 'a lesser known artist').
No, but it is becoming more restricted to formal writing and professional contexts.
Usually, yes. 'Less than 50%' is standard because it refers to a portion of a whole.
This is a formal idiom used to emphasize a surprisingly large number (e.g., 'No fewer than 100 people attended').
Yes! In sentences like 'I eat less,' it is an adverb. In this case, you never use 'fewer'.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
menos
English requires two different words based on countability.
moins de
French does not distinguish between 'less' and 'fewer'.
weniger / wenige
German is more similar to English but the distinction is fading faster.
sukunai (少ない)
Japanese does not use plural nouns, so the 'fewer' rule doesn't apply.
aqall (أقل)
One word covers both meanings in Arabic.
shǎo (少)
Chinese has no distinction between countable and uncountable quantifiers.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
ویدیوهای مرتبط
Related Grammar Rules
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