# a bit / a little/a few



## Raiden

Hola, me gustaría saber en qué casos se puede utilizar a bit o a little bit, puesto que a few o a little se utiliza para contables o incontables, pero en el caso de "a (little) bit" qué concierne? Cuáles son las normas de su uso? 
Todas estas expresiones significan "un poco", pero en este último caso, no sé utilizarlo, ¿alguien me puede ayudar?


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## Peterdg

Bueno, "a (little) bit", puedes utilizar con cosas incontables: "a little bit of water". No puedes decir "a few water*".

"a (little) bit" corresponde al español "un poco *de*" mientras que "few" corresponde a "poco(s)". 

"There are only few beers" = "Sólo hay pocos cervezas".

"There is only a bit of beer" = "Sólo hay un poco *de* cerveza".


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## elprofe

Peterdg said:


> Bueno, "a (little) bit", puedes utilizar con cosas incontables: "a little bit of water". No puedes decir "a few water*".
> 
> "a (little) bit" corresponde al español "un poco *de*" mientras que "few" corresponde a "poco(s)".
> 
> "There are only few beers" = "Sólo hay pocas cervezas".
> 
> "There is only a bit of beer" = "Sólo hay un poco *de* cerveza".


 
Aunque la oración no me suena bien, supongo que será correcta gramaticalmente...


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## Peterdg

elprofe said:


> Aunque la oración no me suena bien, supongo que será correcta gramaticalmente...


¿Cuál oración? La inglesa o la española? (y lo de pocos/pocas: es debido a las cervezas)


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## elprofe

jajaja 
Hablaba de la oración en castellano... para mí "sólo hay pocas cervezas" no suena nada bien...
La oración en inglés (there are only few beers) me suena totalmente natural...


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## gengo

How about "Hay sólo unas cuantas cervezas"?  Or maybe "Ya nos quedan pocas cervezas" (although that changes the meaning *a bit*).


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## elprofe

Sí, eso ya sí que suena bien!


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## inib

Peterdg said:


> ¿Cuál oración? La inglesa o la española? (y lo de pocos/pocas: es debido a las cervezas)


 I think the problem is with the adverb _*sólo/only*_.  I wouldn't use it without the indefinite article. And I think it is the same in Spanish as in English. 
_Hay (muy) pocas cervezas = there are (very) few beers._
_Sólo hay *unas* pocas/*unas *cuantas cervezas = There are only *a* few beers._


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## Raiden

Entonces "a bit" sería lo mismo que decir "a little"? 
Tanto uno como otro según he entendido se utilizan para incontables, así que se podrían poner en los mismos casos?


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## gengo

Raiden said:


> Entonces "a bit" sería lo mismo que decir "a little"?
> Tanto uno como otro según he entendido se utilizan para incontables, así que se podrían poner en los mismos casos?



Por regla general, sí, así es la cosa.  Cuando se usa antes de un sustantivo, "a bit" requiere la preposición of:  I have a bit of a problem.

Pero hay muchos casos en los cuales no se usan de la misma manera.  Por ejemplo:

-Can you stay a while?
-Yeah, I have a little time.

No solemos decir "I have a bit of time."  No hay ninguna regla (que yo sepa) que describa cuando uno puede usarse y el otro no.


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## aurilla

* "a bit" = un poquito

"a little" = un poco / algo (de tiempo) 

ä few" = unos pocos 
*


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## Raiden

Ok, gracias. Ahora bien, con el few y el little si la frase era positiva se añadía una "a" es decir, se decía "a little" o "a few", mientras que si la frase tenía connotación negativa, la "a" no se ponía. ¿Pasa lo mismo con el "a bit"? Es decir, si la frase tiene connotación negativa se suprime la "a"?


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## pubman

Peterdg said:


> Bueno, "a (little) bit", puedes utilizar con cosas incontables: "a little bit of water". No puedes decir "a few water*".
> 
> "a (little) bit" corresponde al español "un poco *de*" mientras que "few" corresponde a "poco(s)".
> 
> "There are only few beers" = "Sólo hay pocos cervezas".
> 
> "There is only a bit of beer" = "Sólo hay un poco *de* cerveza".


 
I thought you couldn't have bits of liquid only drops

Drops of liquid, bits of solids and slurry's a worry


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## Hector9

Yo estoy de acuerdo con lo que dijo inib, me parece una corrección muy apropiada


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## inib

Raiden said:


> Ok, gracias. Ahora bien, con el few y el little si la frase era positiva se añadía una "a" es decir, se decía "a little" o "a few", mientras que si la frase tenía connotación negativa, la "a" no se ponía. ¿Pasa lo mismo con el "a bit"? Es decir, si la frase tiene connotación negativa se suprime la "a"?


 No, Raiden, no se emplea "bit" sin "a". Por lo tanto "a bit (of)" significa "un poco (de)", pero no se puede decir "bit" para "poco".


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## Wandering JJ

pubman said:


> I thought you couldn't have bits of liquid only drops
> 
> Drops of liquid, bits of solids and slurrys a worry


 
That's what my grandmother drummed into me, but after being dogmatic in a previous thread, I didn't dare suggest it!


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## inib

Wandering JJ said:


> That's what my grandmother drummed into me, but after being dogmatic in a previous thread, I didn't dare suggest it!


What you and pubman say makes perfect sense, seing as " a bit" really means "a piece/a small chunk", but I think a kid is more likely to ask "Mum, can I have a bit of milk?" than "Mum, can I have a drop of milk?" if he doesn't want to be left thirsty.
By the way, pubman, what do you mean by _slurrys/slurries a worry?_ I can't find it anywhere.


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## pubman

Hi Inib

Slurry, a sloppy mixture with small pieces in it.

It's a worry deciding whether or not slurry is a liquid or a solid.

A bit of slurry or a drop of slurry?

I know people often use "bit" with liquids but to me it sounds wrong even though it may be grammatically correct.


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## gringuitoloco

pubman said:


> I thought you couldn't have bits of liquid only drops
> 
> Drops of liquid, bits of solids and slurrys a worry



If you want more than a few drops, but not a lot, you can say a bit of a liquid.

I just want a little bit of milk to go with my cookies, but if someone were to give me a few drops, I would be quite upset. =)


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## pubman

gringuitoloco said:


> If you want more than a few drops, but not a lot, you can say a bit of a liquid.
> 
> I just want a little bit of milk to go with my cookies, but if someone were to give me a few drops, I would be quite upset. =)


 

Now grinuitoloco I don't wan't you to be upset

You can indeed say a "bit of liquid" if you want to, no problem. In this sense "I'll have a drop of ale" would not literally refer to a 'drop' but to the amount you actuall do want, pint,half or whatever.

I had a drop left in my glass, does not mean literally a drop.

Maybe it's a BrE thing, either way I am now going to the pub for a well deserved drop of ale


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## inib

pubman said:


> Now grinuitoloco I don't wan't you to be upset
> 
> You can indeed say a "bit of liquid" if you want to, no problem. In this sense "I'll have a drop of ale" would not literally refer to a 'drop' but to the amount you actuall do want, pint,half or whatever.
> 
> I had a drop left in my glass, does not mean literally a drop.
> 
> Maybe it's a BrE thing, either way I am now going to the pub for a well deserved drop of ale


 Cheers, pubman!


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## ribran

pubman said:


> Now grinuitoloco I don't wan't you to be upset
> 
> You can indeed say a "bit of liquid" if you want to, no problem. In this sense "I'll have a drop of ale" would not literally refer to a 'drop' but to the amount you actuall do want, pint,half or whatever.
> 
> I had a drop left in my glass, does not mean literally a drop.
> 
> Maybe it's a BrE thing, either way I am now going to the pub for a well deserved drop of ale



It must be. 

I wouldn't know what to do if you told me you wanted a drop of some drink.


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## inib

ribran said:


> It must be.
> 
> I wouldn't know what to do if you told me you wanted a drop of some drink.


 Ribran, if you've ever seen anyone (not in the mirror, I hope) who's had "a drop too many", I bet you wouldn't blame a couple of ml!


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## gringuitoloco

I've heard of people having "a bit too much to drink," but not "a drop too many."
I'm gonna go ahead and say BrE.


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## QUEEN LIANE

Hey tengo dos dudas, la primera es si la palabra rope es contable or incontable?? Es correcto decir:
- a bit of rope (un poco de cuerda)
la segunda es si es correcto decir:
- a few sticks (pocos palos o unos pocos palos)


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## Wildcat1

QUEEN LIANE said:


> Hey tengo dos dudas, la primera es si la palabra rope es contable or incontable??


Contable: There's *a rope* attached to the back of the truck and *one *attached to the front.  Both *ropes *are an inch in diameter.
Incontable: "You can use *rope *or you can use wire to attach it to the truck."  "OK, I'll use *a bit of rope*" (como dijiste tú, Liane)


QUEEN LIANE said:


> la segunda es si es correcto decir:
> - a few sticks (pocos palos o unos pocos palos)


Perfecto...


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