Want to say "a little" in French? While you might know a common phrase or two, the truth is, French offers a delightful variety of ways to express this seemingly simple idea. Just like in English, where "a little" can mean a small amount, a short time, or even a subtle degree, French has its own nuanced expressions.

Learning these different options will not only make your French sound more natural but also help you convey exactly what you mean in various situations. From describing a small quantity to indicating a slight modification, mastering these phrases is a key step in sounding more like a native speaker.

Let's dive into 9 different ways to say "a little" in French and discover when to use each one!

The standard 'a little' or 'a bit' – un peu

The standard “a little” or “a bit” – un peu

Un peu is the most common and versatile French phrase for expressing “a little” or “a bit.”

It can be used to qualify verbs, adjectives, or adverbs, indicating a small quantity, degree, or extent.

Typically, un peu is placed after the verb it modifies, or before an adjective or adverb.

When referring to a noun, it means a small, unspecified amount, often followed by de (e.g., un peu de café - a little coffee).

It can also soften a statement or express a slight degree of something, like un peu fatigué (a bit tired).

You'll frequently hear it in expressions like un peu partout (a little everywhere) or un peu plus (a little more).

It's important to distinguish un peu (a little, some) from peu (hardly any, few), which carries a more negative or restrictive meaning.

Unlike some other French words, un peu is invariable; it does not change for gender or number.

💡 * Je parle un peu français. (I speak a little French.)

Elle est un peu timide. (She is a bit shy.)

Pourriez-vous parler un peu plus fort? (Could you speak a little louder?)

J'ai un peu de temps libre cet après-midi. (I have a little free time this afternoon.)

Ça coûte un peu cher. (That's a bit expensive.)

The slightly more emphatic 'a little bit' or 'a tiny bit' – un petit peu

While un peu generally means 'a little bit' or 'some', the phrase un petit peu adds a subtle but significant emphasis, translating more accurately to 'a tiny bit' or 'a little bit, but really just a little'.

This phrase highlights a smaller quantity or degree than un peu might imply on its own, often suggesting a slight exaggeration or a more precise, albeit small, amount. Think of it as conveying a sense of 'just a smidgen' or 'hardly any'.

You'll use un petit peu when you want to emphasize that the quantity is truly small. For instance, if you're asking for just a very small amount of sugar in your coffee, you might say: Juste un petit peu de sucre, s'il vous plaît.

It also applies to describing a small degree of something, like a feeling or a characteristic. If someone is only slightly tired, you could say: Je suis un petit peu fatigué (I'm a tiny bit tired), stressing that it's not a lot.

This phrase is particularly useful in polite requests or when you want to soften a statement, making it sound less direct or demanding. It's common in everyday conversations to express modesty or understatement.

In essence, un petit peu is your go-to phrase when you want to stress the smallness of something, adding a touch more emphasis than un peu alone would provide.

💡 * J'ai un petit peu faim. (I'm a tiny bit hungry.)

Pourriez-vous parler un petit peu plus lentement ? (Could you speak a tiny bit more slowly?)

Il y a juste un petit peu de lait. (There's just a tiny bit of milk.)

Elle est un petit peu timide. (She's a little bit shy.)

J'ai un petit peu mal à la tête. (I have a slight headache / my head hurts a tiny bit.)

The 'a touch' or 'a hint' (often for abstract concepts or flavor) – un brin

Un brin is a versatile French expression that translates to “a touch,” “a hint,” or “a bit of.” It often implies a small, subtle quantity or a slight degree of something, particularly when discussing abstract concepts or flavors.

This phrase is frequently used to describe a slight presence of an emotion, a characteristic, or an idea. For instance, you might have un brin de mélancolie (a touch of melancholy) or un brin d'ironie (a hint of irony).

When it comes to culinary contexts, un brin is perfect for indicating a subtle addition to a dish or drink. Think of un brin d'ail (a hint of garlic) or un brin de vanille (a touch of vanilla).

Un brin is always used in its masculine singular form, regardless of the gender or number of the noun it modifies. It literally means 'a sprig' or 'a blade' (of grass), which helps visualize the small quantity.

Compared to other expressions for 'a little' (like un peu), un brin often carries a nuance of subtlety or a delicate presence, making it ideal for describing things that are felt or tasted rather than measured precisely.

💡 * Il y a un brin de folie dans ses yeux. (There's a touch of madness in his eyes.)

Elle a ajouté un brin de piment à la sauce. (She added a hint of chili to the sauce.)

Ce film a un brin de tristesse. (This movie has a touch of sadness.)

J'aime ce vin avec un brin d'amertume. (I like this wine with a hint of bitterness.)

Il manque un brin de sel dans ce plat. (This dish lacks a touch of salt.)

The 'a hint' or 'a trace' (often for flavors, feelings, or very small amounts) – un soupçon

Un soupçon translates to 'a hint', 'a trace', or 'a touch' in English, indicating a very small, often barely perceptible, amount of something.

This versatile noun is frequently used when referring to subtle flavors in cooking, faint emotions or feelings, or simply a minuscule quantity of anything.

As a masculine noun, un soupçon is almost always followed by de (or d') before the noun it modifies, regardless of the gender or number of that noun.

💡 * J'ai ajouté un soupçon de sel dans la sauce. (I added a hint of salt to the sauce.)

Il y avait un soupçon de tristesse dans sa voix. (There was a hint of sadness in her voice.)

Elle a mis un soupçon de parfum avant de partir. (She put on a trace of perfume before leaving.)

Ce plat a un soupçon d'ail. (This dish has a hint of garlic.)

Un soupçon de doute planait dans l'air. (A trace of doubt hung in the air.)

The 'a touch' or 'a dash' (similar to 'un soupçon', often for flavors or colors) – une pointe

The 'a touch' or 'a dash' – une pointe

Une pointe literally means 'a point' or 'a tip,' but in common usage, it translates to 'a touch,' 'a dash,' or 'a hint' of something.

This expression is frequently used to describe a small, subtle quantity of an ingredient in cooking, a hint of a flavor, or a slight shade of a color.

It is almost always followed by de (or d') and then the noun it modifies, for example, une pointe de sel (a touch of salt) or une pointe de bleu (a hint of blue).

While very similar to un soupçon (a suspicion, also 'a hint'), une pointe often implies a slightly more deliberate, though still small, addition, especially when referring to colors or stronger flavors.

It's a versatile and widely understood phrase, adding a touch of nuance to descriptions of taste, smell, or visual elements.

💡 * J'ai ajouté une pointe de sel à la soupe. (I added a touch of salt to the soup.)

Ce tableau a une pointe de rouge qui le rend vibrant. (This painting has a dash of red that makes it vibrant.)

Tu sens cette pointe d'ail dans la sauce ? (Do you smell that hint of garlic in the sauce?)

Elle a mis une pointe de vanille dans le gâteau. (She put a dash of vanilla in the cake.)

Il y a toujours une pointe d'humour dans ses propos. (There's always a touch of humor in his words.)

The more formal 'somewhat' or 'a little' – quelque peu

When you want to express the idea of 'somewhat' or 'a little' in a more formal or nuanced way in French, the expression quelque peu comes into play. It's often encountered in written language or more elevated speech.

Quelque peu is distinctly more formal than the common un peu. It suggests a slight or moderate degree, often implying a subtle effect or a particular quality that is present to a certain extent, but not overwhelmingly so. Think of it as conveying 'to some extent' or 'rather'.

Typically, quelque peu functions as an adverbial phrase, placed directly before an adjective or another adverb. It's frequently used in administrative documents, literary texts, or formal discussions, lending a sophisticated tone to the statement.

While un peu is suitable for everyday conversations, quelque peu elevates the discourse. For instance, instead of saying Il est un peu triste (He is a little sad), a more formal context might use Il est quelque peu attristé (He is somewhat saddened). Choose quelque peu when you aim for precision and a higher register.

💡 * Elle semblait quelque peu préoccupée par la nouvelle. (She seemed somewhat preoccupied by the news.)

Le projet a été quelque peu retardé en raison de problèmes techniques. (The project was somewhat delayed due to technical issues.)

Son attitude était quelque peu surprenante pour tout le monde. (His attitude was somewhat surprising for everyone.)

Nous sommes quelque peu sceptiques quant à la faisabilité de cette proposition. (We are somewhat skeptical about the feasibility of this proposal.)

The adverb 'slightly' or 'a little' – légèrement

The French adverb légèrement translates to 'slightly' or 'a little' in English, indicating a small degree or extent of something.

As an adverb, légèrement modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, providing nuance to actions or descriptions. It's invariable, meaning its form doesn't change based on gender or number.

You'll often find légèrement used to soften statements, describe subtle changes, or indicate a gentle action. For instance, it can describe a 'slightly' open door, a 'little' bit of sadness, or touching something 'gently'.

💡 * Elle a légèrement modifié son plan. (She slightly modified her plan.)

Le café est légèrement amer. (The coffee is slightly bitter.)

Il a souri légèrement. (He smiled slightly.)

La porte est restée légèrement ouverte. (The door remained slightly open.)

Je me sens légèrement fatigué aujourd'hui. (I feel a little tired today.)

The 'hardly' or 'barely' (implying a very small amount) – à peine

The French expression à peine translates to 'hardly', 'barely', or 'scarcely'. It's used to indicate a very small quantity, a minimal degree, or that something has just happened.

This adverbial phrase emphasizes the idea of something being just enough, almost not at all, or achieved with difficulty. It conveys a sense of near-absence or a very limited extent.

À peine typically precedes the verb it modifies. It can also be used in more complex constructions like 'à peine... que...' (hardly... when/that...), which often implies an immediate sequence of events.

When placed at the beginning of a sentence for emphasis, à peine triggers subject-verb inversion, similar to other negative or restrictive adverbs in French. For example, 'À peine était-il arrivé que...' (Hardly had he arrived when...).

💡 * Il a à peine mangé. (He hardly ate.)

J'ai à peine assez d'argent. (I barely have enough money.)

À peine était-il sorti qu'il a commencé à pleuvoir. (Hardly had he left when it started to rain.)

Nous avons à peine deux heures pour finir. (We barely have two hours to finish.)

Elle parle à peine français. (She barely speaks French.)

The 'even a little' or 'however little' (often used in conditional or negative contexts) – un tant soit peu

Un tant soit peu is a formal and somewhat literary French expression that translates to “even a little,” “however little,” or “to some small extent.” It literally means “a whatever little,” emphasizing a minimal quantity or degree. It is often used to express a condition or a lack of something, typically in conditional or negative sentences.

This phrase frequently appears in conditional clauses, often introduced by si (if), to indicate that even a minimal amount or degree of something would be significant or sufficient. For example, Si vous avez un tant soit peu de compassion... (If you have even a little compassion...)

When used in negative constructions, un tant soit peu emphasizes the complete absence of something. It often reinforces the negation, highlighting that not even a minimal amount exists. For instance, Il n'a pas un tant soit peu de respect (He doesn't have even a little respect).

It's important to note that un tant soit peu carries a somewhat formal or literary tone. While perfectly understandable, it might sound more elevated than everyday casual speech. For simpler, less emphatic expressions of 'a little,' one might use un peu or le moindre in different contexts.

💡 * Si tu avais un tant soit peu de considération, tu ne ferais pas ça.

Il ne montre pas un tant soit peu d'intérêt pour ce projet.

J'apprécierais un tant soit peu d'aide.

Elle n'a jamais eu un tant soit peu de chance.

Si l'on avait un tant soit peu de bon sens, on agirait différemment.

Are there other ways to say 'a little' in French?

Are there other ways to say “a little” in French?

Our list features the most common ways to say “a little” in French. But French is a rich language, and there are always nuances, regional variations, and informal expressions that convey similar ideas, some of which even this author might not be aware of!

You can also do an online search for “comment dire un peu en ___” followed by a specific Francophone country or region to discover local expressions.

You might find some interesting synonyms or alternative phrases for un peu on this list or through your own research. Of course, make sure to check a word’s definition and try to see it used in context before you use it.

Pay attention as you read, watch, and listen to things in French — you may discover different subtle ways to express 'a little'.

And if you’re looking for more ways to express quantities or nuances of 'a little' in French, the WordReference entry for un peu is a great place to start!

I hope you found this article helpful. Here’s what I think is a perfect quote to finish it with, emphasizing the small but significant: Les petites choses sont les plus grandes. (The smallest things are the greatest.)

9 ways to say "a little" in French