कम बनाम थोड़ा: क्या अंतर है?
Countable: fewer, Uncountable: less
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.
Overview
less और fewer का सही इस्तेमाल करना एक बहुत ही महत्वपूर्ण स्किल है, जो आपकी भाषा को अधिक सटीक और प्रोफेशनल बनाता है। हिंदी भाषी होने के नाते, हम अक्सर इन दोनों के बीच के अंतर को नज़रअंदाज़ कर देते हैं क्योंकि हिंदी में हम अक्सर 'कम' (less) शब्द का इस्तेमाल हर जगह कर लेते हैं। हिंदी में 'कम' का इस्तेमाल चाहे आप गिनती (countable) के लिए करें या मात्रा (uncountable) के लिए, यह हमेशा 'कम' ही रहता है। उदाहरण के लिए, 'कम लोग' और 'कम पानी', दोनों में 'कम' का ही प्रयोग होता है। लेकिन English में ऐसा नहीं है। English में, अगर आप चीज़ों को गिन सकते हैं (जैसे: किताबें, पेन, लोग), तो आपको fewer का उपयोग करना होगा। अगर आप किसी ऐसी चीज़ की बात कर रहे हैं जिसे आप गिन नहीं सकते (जैसे: पानी, समय, ज्ञान), तो आपको less का उपयोग करना होगा।fewer बोलते हैं, तो आप एक 'संख्या' (number) की बात कर रहे होते हैं। जब आप less बोलते हैं, तो आप एक 'मात्रा' (amount/volume) की बात कर रहे होते हैं। अगर आप किसी चाय की दुकान पर हैं और कहते हैं 'I want less sugar', तो यह बिल्कुल सही है क्योंकि चीनी को आप एक-एक दाना करके नहीं गिनते। लेकिन अगर आप कहते हैं 'I have fewer biscuits', तो यहाँ fewer सही है क्योंकि बिस्कुट को गिना जा सकता है। इस अंतर को समझना आपके B1 लेवल की English को सुधारने के लिए बहुत आवश्यक है।less और fewer के बीच का अंतर 'countable' और 'uncountable' nouns के वर्गीकरण पर आधारित है। हिंदी व्याकरण में इसे 'गणनीय' और 'अगणनीय' संज्ञा कहते हैं।student, car, idea। जब भी आप किसी ऐसी चीज़ की बात करें जिसे आप गिन सकते हैं, तो उसके साथ 'कम' बताने के लिए हमेशा fewer का इस्तेमाल करें। उदाहरण के लिए, fewer students (कम छात्र)। याद रखें, fewer हमेशा plural noun के साथ आता है।water, time, information, furniture। हिंदी में हम इन्हें अक्सर 'मात्रावाचक' संज्ञा कह सकते हैं। इनके साथ कभी भी fewer नहीं लगता। इनके लिए हमेशा less का प्रयोग करें। उदाहरण के लिए, less water (कम पानी)। ध्यान दें कि less के बाद आने वाला noun हमेशा singular होता है क्योंकि वह एक 'bulk' या 'mass' को दर्शाता है।fewer = गिनती के लिए, less = मात्रा के लिए।fewer | Countable | Plural | fewer books | कम किताबें |fewer | Countable | Plural | fewer days | कम दिन |less | Uncountable | Singular | less water | कम पानी |less | Uncountable | Singular | less time | कम समय |I have fewer problems than before.(समस्याएँ गिनी जा सकती हैं)I have less stress than before.(तनाव को गिना नहीं जा सकता)
fewer का उपयोग तब करें जब आप तुलना (comparison) कर रहे हों और संख्या कम हो रही हो। जैसे, ऑफिस में मीटिंग के दौरान: 'We have fewer resources available this month.' यहाँ resources को गिना जा सकता है।less का उपयोग तब करें जब आप किसी ऐसी चीज़ की मात्रा कम होने की बात कर रहे हों जिसे आप मापते हैं (measure)। जैसे: 'The recipe needs less salt.' नमक को आप चम्मच से मापते हैं, गिनते नहीं।less का उपयोग करते हैं, भले ही शब्द plural हों। जैसे: less than 500 rupees या less than 5 hours। यहाँ हम 500 रुपयों को अलग-अलग सिक्कों की तरह नहीं, बल्कि एक 'कुल राशि' (total amount) के रूप में देख रहे हैं। यह एक अपवाद है जिसे समझना ज़रूरी है।- 1The 'Less People' Trap: हिंदी भाषी अक्सर 'less people' बोलते हैं। इसका कारण यह है कि हिंदी में 'कम' का इस्तेमाल हर जगह होता है। English में 'people' countable है, इसलिए 'fewer' ही सही है।
- 2Ignoring the Plural: कई बार लोग
lessके बाद plural noun लगा देते हैं (जैसे:less days)। यह गलत है क्योंकिlessके बाद हमेशा singular/mass noun आना चाहिए। - 3Confusion with Mass Nouns: लोग 'less informations' बोल देते हैं।
informationएक uncountable noun है, इसलिए इसका pluralinformationsनहीं होता। इसे हमेशाless informationही कहना चाहिए।
- 1Q: क्या '10 items or less' वाली साइन बोर्ड गलत है?
- 1Q: क्या 'less' का उपयोग countable nouns के साथ कभी नहीं हो सकता?
- 1Q:
fewerऔरlessमें से कौन सा ज्यादा formal है?
fewer का सही इस्तेमाल आपकी भाषा की सटीकता को दिखाता है।- 1Q: 'Money' के लिए क्या इस्तेमाल करें?
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
| Category | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Countable Nouns (गिनने योग्य)
|
Use `fewer`
|
There are `fewer` cookies in this jar.
|
|
Uncountable Nouns (अनगिनत)
|
Use `less`
|
I'd like `less` sugar in my tea, please.
|
|
Time (समय)
|
Use `less` (समय के ब्लॉक के लिए)
|
The film was `less` than 90 minutes long.
|
|
Money (पैसा)
|
Use `less` (पैसे की रकम के लिए)
|
The ticket costs `less` than $20.
|
|
Distance (दूरी)
|
Use `less` (माप के लिए)
|
She lives `less` than a mile from here.
|
|
Weight (वजन)
|
Use `less` (माप के लिए)
|
I weigh `less` than I did last year.
|
|
Abstract Ideas (अमूर्त विचार)
|
Use `less`
|
We need `less` talk and more action.
|
|
People (लोग)
|
Use `fewer`
|
`Fewer` people applied for the job this year.
|
औपचारिकता का स्तर
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)
Less बनाम Fewer: गणनीयता ही कुंजी है
FEWER का उपयोग करें:
- Friends Countable
- Books Countable
- Mistakes Countable
LESS का उपयोग करें:
- Water Uncountable
- Time Uncountable
- Money Uncountable
Fewer बनाम Less का उपयोग कब करें
Less या Fewer? एक त्वरित निर्णय
क्या आप जिस संज्ञा का वर्णन कर रहे हैं वह गणनीय है?
क्या यह समय, धन या दूरी का माप है?
Less/Fewer संज्ञा छँटाई
FEWER के साथ प्रयोग करें
- • choices
- • songs
- • hours*
- • dollars*
- • people
- • ingredients
LESS के साथ प्रयोग करें
- • choice
- • music
- • time
- • money
- • love
- • salt
स्तर के अनुसार उदाहरण
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.
आसानी से भ्रमित होने वाले
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.
सामान्य गलतियाँ
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.
वाक्य संरचनाएँ
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.
गिनने का टेस्ट
सुपरमार्केट साइन से सावधान
10 items or less is a common error.बहुवचन (Plural) संज्ञा एक इशारा है
Plural nouns usually need fewer.
पॉलिश्ड अंग्रेज़ी का निशान
Correct usage shows precision.
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.
उच्चारण
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.
याद करें
स्मृति सहायक
Fewer is for Fingers (you can count them). Less is for Liquid (you can't count it).
दृश्य संबंध
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.
Word Web
चैलेंज
Look around your room. Find three things you can count (use 'fewer') and three things you can't (use 'less'). Say them out loud.
सांस्कृतिक नोट्स
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).
बातचीत की शुरुआत
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?
डायरी विषय
सामान्य गलतियाँ
Test Yourself
If you make ___ mistakes, you will get a better grade.
Mistakes गिनी जा सकती हैं, इसलिए आपको fewer का उपयोग करना होगा।Choose the correct sentence:
Water एक अनगिनत संज्ञा है, इसलिए less सही शब्द है।Find and fix the mistake:
There were less people at the concert than we expected.
fewer का उपयोग करते हैं क्योंकि people एक गणनीय संज्ञा है। साथ ही, चूँकि people बहुवचन है, क्रिया were होनी चाहिए, was नहीं।Score: /3
अभ्यास प्रश्न
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
अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल (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
संबंधित वीडियो
Related Grammar Rules
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