English grammar: Few and little

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few and little

(a) few + plural countable noun
(a) little + uncountable noun

(a) few and (a) little mean a small quantity or a small number.
Without 'a' few and little mean not enough, and often have a negative meaning.

I have a few friends. (a small number, but I am happy)
I have few friends. (a small number, and I wish I had more)
I have a little money. (a small amount, but I am happy)
I have little money. (a small amount, and I wish I had more)

Few and little without 'a' are quite formal.
In spoken English, it is more common to say only a few / little, or not much/many.
Only a few people came to the meeting.
Not many people came to the meeting.
Few people came to the meeting. (more formal)

If we use (a)few or (a)little before a pronoun or determiner, we use of.
A few of them went to the cinema.
He only kept a little of his money with him.

See also Small and little

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