A1.3 Quantity adverbs: Un peu, beaucoup, pas du tout

Quantifiers such as un peu, beaucoup, and pas du tout modify not only verbs, but also nouns and adjectives to express degree or intensity. It's important to note that when these adverbs affect the meaning of a noun, the article's form may change, too.

Examples with verbs

  • Elle dort un peu. (She sleeps a little.)
  • Nous avons beaucoup travaillé. (We have worked a lot.)
  • Il ne mange pas du tout de légumes. (He doesn't eat any vegetables at all.)

Examples with nouns

When these adverbs modify a noun, the article changes form: du temps → un peu de temps. (some time → a little bit of time.)

  • Il a un peu de temps. (He has a little bit of time.)
  • Elle a beaucoup d'amis. (She has a lot of friends.)
  • Il n'a pas du tout d'argent. (He doesn't have any money at all.)

Examples with adjectives

  • Je suis un peu fatigué. (I am a little tired.)
  • Ce plat est beaucoup trop épicé. (This dish is much too spicy.)
  • Elle n’est pas du tout contente. (She is not at all happy.)
Exercises on the same or a similar theme.
There are 8 exercises related to this sheet. Log in to your account to access them.