Learn how to use the Spanish quantifiers: poco, mucho, bastante, nada, and nadie. This lesson covers expressing non-exact quantities, absence, totality, addition, and emphasis on large amounts. Understand key differences from English and practice natural usage with practical examples.
- "Poco, mucho, bastante, demasiado" indicate an inexact quantity.
- "Nada, nadie" refer to the absence of something or someone.
- "Todo, otro" refer to the entirety or something additional.
- "Tanto" emphasises a large quantity.
| Función (Function) | Cuantificadores (Quantifiers) | Ejemplo (Example) |
|---|---|---|
| Cantidad no exacta (Non-exact quantity) | Poco, Mucho, Bastante, Demasiado | Hay poco transporte público en mi barrio. Hay mucho tráfico por esta zona. Esperé demasiado tiempo para el tren. Hay bastante gente en el autobús. |
| Ausencia (Absence) | Nada Nadie | No hay nada en el carril bici, está vacío. Nadie quiere viajar en coche. |
| Totalidad o Adición (Totality or Addition) | Todo Otro | Hoy el tráfico está bien, todo va rápido. Este autobús no llega. Esperamos a otro. |
| Cantidad grande (Large amount) | Tanto | Hay tanto tráfico en la ciudad hoy. |
Exercise 1: Usos de "Poco", "Mucho", "Bastante", "Nada", "Nadie"
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
poco, bastante, tanto, Nadie, otro
1.
Ausencia:
: ... ha usado el transporte público esta mañana.
(Nobody has used public transport this morning.)
2.
Totalidad o adición:
: Voy a tomar ... tren porque el primero está lleno.
(I am going to take another train because the first one is full.)
3.
Totalidad o adición:
: Voy a tomar ... taxi, el primero no estaba disponible.
(I am going to take another taxi, the first one was not available.)
4.
Cantidad pequeña:
: Hoy hay ... tráfico en la calle. A lo mejor es un día festivo.
(There is little traffic in the street today. Maybe it is a public holiday.)
5.
Cantidad grande:
: He esperado ... tiempo para el autobús.
(I have waited so long for the bus.)
6.
Cantidad grande:
: Hay ... tráfico hoy, mejor voy en tren.
(There's quite a lot of traffic today, I'd better go by train.)
7.
Cantidad pequeña:
: Hay ... espacio en este autobús. Hay mucha gente.
(There is little space on this bus. There are many people.)
8.
Ausencia:
: ... usa el carril bici esta mañana.
(Nobody is using the bike lane this morning.)
Exercise 2: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct sentence for each situation, paying attention to the proper use of 'few', 'many', 'enough', 'nothing', and 'nobody' to talk about quantities in contexts of sustainable and everyday transportation.
1.
'Enought' does not agree with 'people', which is a singular collective noun; 'enough' should be used.
The noun 'transportations' is incorrectly pluralized; it should be 'transportation'.
2.
'Nobody' is used for people, not for traffic, which is an inanimate noun.
'Any' is used with countable or individualized countable nouns, but 'traffic' is uncountable; 'nothing' is better for absence.
3.
'Traffic' is a masculine, singular, uncountable noun; 'many' is not used with it.
'Many' is plural, but 'traffic' is singular.
4.
'Few' indicates a small but existing quantity, not absence, so the sentence is incorrect.
'Nothing' indicates absence of things, but here we talk about people; 'nobody' should be used.