Quantitative adjectives describe how much or how many of something there is, and they shape meaning by specifying amount, portion, or frequency. This guide covers common quantitative adjectives and relevant expressions so you can talk about quantity precisely.
Key Vocabulary
The following quantitative adjectives and expressions are useful for describing amount, portion, and frequency in everyday contexts.
| French Word(s) | English Word(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| beaucoup de | a lot of / much / many | |
| peu de | little / few | |
| assez de | enough | |
| trop de | too much / too many | |
| une dizaine de | about ten | |
| la moitié de | half of | |
| la plupart de | most of | |
| quelques | some / a few | |
| plusieurs | several |
There are a lot of apples on the table.
Usage
Quantitative adjectives typically agree in gender and number with the noun they modify when they are adjectives, but phrases like beaucoup de are followed by a noun without agreement because they are considered expressions. When a quantitative adjective precedes a noun, pay attention to whether it requires de or not.
Expressions
Common expressions for quantity include set phrases for approximate amounts and portions, which are useful for sounding natural when estimating or describing parts of a whole.
| French Expression | English Expression | |
|---|---|---|
| environ | about / around | |
| près de | nearly / close to | |
| un peu plus de | a little more than | |
| un peu moins de | a little less than | |
| une grande partie de | a large part of | |
| la quasi-totalité de | almost all of |
Summary
Quantitative adjectives and expressions let you specify amount, portion, and frequency clearly. Remember which phrases require de and practice common expressions for approximate quantity so you can describe amounts naturally.
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025