Little means small in size or amount; not much; or to a small degree. It works as an adjective (a little dog), a determiner (little time), a pronoun (little is known), and an adverb (a little tired).
What Does Little Mean?
Little comes from Old English lytel, related to Old High German luzzil and Old Norse lítill, all derived from a Proto-Germanic root meaning small. The word has been in continuous use in English for over a thousand years, making it one of the oldest and most stable words in the language. Its core meaning — smallness of size, quantity, or degree — has remained essentially unchanged throughout that time.
In modern British English, little is used across four grammatical categories. As an adjective it describes size: a little cottage. As a determiner it quantifies uncountable nouns, usually with a negative nuance: there is little point in arguing. As a pronoun it stands alone to mean a small amount: little of the original building remains. As an adverb it modifies adjectives or verbs to indicate a small degree: she was a little nervous.
The single most important distinction for ESL learners is between little (no article — negative nuance, implying hardly any) and a little (with the article — positive nuance, implying some). Similarly, little pairs with uncountable nouns while few pairs with countable plurals.
Example Sentences
| Sentence | Level & usage note |
|---|---|
| My brother has a little dog called Biscuit. | A2 — adjective meaning small in size |
| She has very little time to revise before the exam. | B1 — determiner with uncountable noun, negative nuance |
| Could you turn the music down a little? I’m trying to concentrate. | B1 — adverb meaning to a small degree, informal |
| Little is known about the long-term effects of the medication. | B2 — pronoun use, formal/written register |
| She little suspected that her quiet acceptance of the terms would later prove so significant. | C1 — adverb modifying a verb, literary/emphatic register |
Collocations
| Collocation | Example |
|---|---|
| a little bit | I’m a little bit worried about the results. |
| little by little | Little by little, her confidence began to grow. |
| very little | There is very little evidence to support that claim. |
| too little | The council is doing too little to address the housing crisis. |
| little time | We have little time left before the deadline. |
| little hope | Doctors said there was little hope of a full recovery. |
| little doubt | There is little doubt that the policy needs reforming. |
| little did I know | Little did I know that it would change my life completely. |
| every little helps | Even a small donation is appreciated — every little helps. |
| think little of | She thought little of walking ten miles to raise money for charity. |
Usage Notes
Little vs a little (quantity): Without the article, little suggests an insufficient or negligible amount: There is little milk (= not enough). With the article, a little suggests a small but adequate amount: There is a little milk (= some). This distinction is subtle but important for achieving naturalness at B2+.
Little vs few: Use little with uncountable nouns (little money, little traffic, little information) and few with countable plural nouns (few students, few opportunities, few mistakes). The positive counterparts are a little and a few respectively.
Comparative and superlative: When little means small in size, the comparative is littler (informal) or smaller (formal). When it means not much, the comparative is less and the superlative is least — these are suppletive forms from a different root.
Common Mistakes
Watch Out For
She has little friends at her new school.
She has few friends at her new school. (use few with countable nouns)
I know a little words in Japanese.
I know a few words in Japanese. (use a few with countable plural nouns)
There is a little hope of reaching an agreement.
There is little hope of reaching an agreement. (no article needed for the negative/insufficient nuance)