meaning - "A few" vs. "few"




  1. I have few friends.

  2. I have a few friends.



I thought "few" means just one, two or even none. "A few" typically means more than two. However it seems to me some people say "few" when they really mean "a few", am I right?



Answer



"I have a few friends" is just the same as saying "I have some friends".


"I have few friends", however, implies that you have only a few friends (as opposed to many). In some contexts (not always!), it can also imply that you don't feel very well about it, that you wish you had more friends.


Also, note that there is a very common expression "quite a few", which is a trap for foreign learners because it looks like it should mean "rather few, very few" — but it does not. It means the exact opposite thing: "a large or significant number, many". So, saying "I have quite a few friends" is the same as saying "I have quite a lot of friends".


Let's have a look at two more examples:





  • "A few people think that smoking is healthy."
    = Some people think that smoking is healthy.


    "Few people think that smoking is healthy."
    = Only a few people, a very small number, think that smoking is healthy; most think that it is not.


    "Quite a few people think that smoking is healthy."
    = Many people, a (surprisingly) large number, think that smoking is healthy.




  • "This car comes in a few colors."
    = This vehicle model is available in several colors, a number/selection of colors, but less than many.


    "This car comes in few colors."
    = This model is available in only a few colors, just a few colors; less than a few. The speaker probably wishes there were more to choose from.


    "This car comes in quite a few colors."
    = This model is available in more colors than you might think; quite a bunch/variety/selection/gamut of; rather many; the speaker didn't really expect to have such a choice, or thinks you are unlikely to expect it.





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