How many people does "pocas" represent?

Question

When someone says, "hay poca gente o pocas cosas en un sitio," how many people does that mean there are in the room/ Cuantos personas hay en el cuarto??

Answer 1

Ah..! A trick question!

There's no such thing as a number to indicate a "few people". Numbers work just the same way as they do in English. So, "dos personas" - "two persons", "cinco personas" - "five persons".

I can think of three possible answers to this (to my judgment, poorly phrased) question:

1. "Un par de personas" - "A couple of people". Works just like in English- may mean exactly two people, or "just a few".
2. "Dos o tres personas" - "A couple-three people"
3. "Cuatro gatos" or "Cuatro pelagatos" (could be "tres" also) - Literally "four cats". I know there's an expression in English that is the exact equivalent, but I can't remember it just now.

Thanks so much! - michaelbw101, MAR 15, 2010

Answer 2

pocas represents a propotion of a whole, and it will vary according to: a - The speaker´s point of view. b - Common sense c - The comparative proportion of the total number.

2.000 people in a football stadium are ´pocas personas´ but they are ´muchas personas´ at the cinema, for instance.

Answer 3

a little..

Answer 4

I have a question that says: "Para expresar la idea de que hay poca gente, solemos indicarlo con el mismo un nimero. No significa que haya ese numero exacto de personas or cosas, sino que indica, de manera general, que son "pocas". Sabes de que numero se trata? Investiga o pregunta a lgun espanol.

Am I interpreting the question correctly everyone?

Answer 5

Michael said:

Can you please give me a specific number?

No. You'd have to count the people in the room to get a number.

Answer 6

I agree with Gekkosan. "Poco" means a few, a little bit, not many.

Answer 7

Can you please give me a specific number? Puedes decirme un numero especifo por favor?

Answer 8

"a few"