Beaucoup vs Très
This short guide explains when to use beaucoup and when to use très, with clear examples to make the difference memorable.
Très
Use très to intensify adjectives and adverbs, so it modifies quality or degree.
Examples
| French Example | English Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 🌟 Le gâteau est très sucré. | The cake is very sweet. | Intensity of taste |
| ☁️ Le ciel est très bleu aujourd'hui. | The sky is very blue today. | Intensity of color |
| 🎶 La musique est très agréable. | The music is very pleasant. | Quality enhancement |
| 🔥 Le café est très chaud. | The coffee is very hot. | Degree of temperature |
| 🧴 Cette crème est très efficace. | This cream is very effective. | Emphatic praise |
More on Très
Très can be used before an adjectival phrase or an adverb to amplify its force; it never directly modifies nouns.
Sign In
Add an email to access exercises.
Beaucoup
Use beaucoup to indicate large quantity or high degree, and it can modify verbs, nouns (with de), or adjectives/adverbs in some contexts.
Examples
| French Example | English Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 🍰 J’ai beaucoup mangé au goûter. | I ate a lot at snack time. | Quantity of food |
| 🧃 Elle a beaucoup bu de jus. | She drank a lot of juice. | Quantity of drink |
| 🎒 Il y avait beaucoup de sacs sur la table. | There were many bags on the table. | Large number |
| 🌸 Le jardin a beaucoup de fleurs colorées. | The garden has many colorful flowers. | Abundance |
| 📝 J’ai beaucoup travaillé cet après-midi. | I worked a lot this afternoon. | Extent of work |
More on Beaucoup
Beaucoup commonly appears after a verb to quantify an action, or before de when modifying a noun; it can also intensify an adjective when used adverbially.
Sign In
Add an email to access exercises.
Quick Comparison
Très modifies quality or degree (adjectives/adverbs), while beaucoup indicates quantity or magnitude and can modify verbs, nouns, and sometimes adjectives.
Sign In
Add an email to access exercises.
Summary
Use très for intensifying adjectives and adverbs, and use beaucoup for large amounts or high degree, especially with verbs and nouns.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025