wenig
little / few
Refers to a small amount or a small number of something. It can be used with countable and uncountable nouns.
EXAMPLE
Ich habe nur wenig Zeit, also müssen wir uns beeilen.
I only have a little time, so we have to hurry.
wenig
little / few
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Meanings
ein wenig
a little
A fixed expression meaning 'a bit' and often used to soften a statement or indicate a small amount.
EXAMPLE
Könntest du die Musik bitte ein wenig leiser machen?
Could you please make the music a little quieter?
wenig
few
Used as a pronoun and refers to a small number of people or things from a larger group.
EXAMPLE
Viele waren eingeladen, aber nur wenige sind gekommen.
Many were invited, but only few came.
Usage tips
Declension with or without an ending
'Wenig' has a special feature: when it stands before a noun without an article, it is often not declined. However, when it stands alone as a pronoun or after an article, it must be declined.
EXAMPLE
Ich habe leider nur wenig Zeit.
Unfortunately, I only have a little time.
Comparison: weniger, am wenigsten
The comparative forms of 'wenig' are 'weniger' (less/fewer) and 'am wenigsten' (the least/the fewest). These are used to compare quantities with one another.
EXAMPLE
Du solltest weniger Zucker essen.
You should eat less sugar.
Fixed expression 'ein wenig'
The expression 'ein wenig' is a fixed unit and means 'a bit.' It is not declined and can be used to soften a statement or describe a small amount.
EXAMPLE
Ich war ein wenig überrascht von seiner Reaktion.
I was a little surprised by his reaction.
Use as a pronoun
When 'wenig' refers to people or things that are already known, it functions like a pronoun. In this case, it often stands at the beginning of the sentence and is declined.
EXAMPLE
Viele wurden eingeladen, doch nur wenige kamen.
Many were invited, but only a few came.
Compare with
wenig vs etwas
something / somewhat
Etwas and wenig can both refer to a small amount that is available. Etwas presents the limited amount more neutrally, while wenig emphasizes that the amount is small or possibly insufficient. Use etwas for a neutral statement and wenig when the scarcity is important.
wenig
Für die Aufgabe habe ich nur wenig Zeit.
I have very little time for the task.
etwas
Für die Aufgabe habe ich noch etwas Zeit.
I still have some time for the task.
In real life
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