What's the difference between "poco" and "pequeño?"

Question

what is the difference between using poco and pequeño in the pharse I speak very little Spanish? Are they interchangeable?

Answer 1

You could think of it this way:

Poco - quantity - Tengo poco dinero. I have a small amount of money. l

Pequeño - size - La moneda es pequeña. The coin is small in size (physical).

excellent description - albert-fabrik-, May 2, 2010

Answer 2

poco means little as in i know a little spanish-- sé un poco español

pequeño means small as in she is small-- ella es pequeña

Answer 3

I just wanted to point out that "poco" can be used as an adverb and an adjective, while "pequeño" is only an adjective.

"Sé un poco español." - Here is is an adjective.

"Están poco confundidas." - Here it is an adverb (and thus does not vary with gender or number).

Answer 4

IE: Ella es pequeña........She is little

Tenemos poco tiempo........We have little time

A true grammarian will be able to explain why.

"Poco" is an adverb there, that's why... It modifies "we have" to be "we have a little", rather than being an adjective that modifies time. - aceydoubleyou, May 2, 2010

Answer 5

Hi Denia. Welcome to the forum.

Anony is right.

"Pequeño" is small in size and "poco" is a little bit of something.

Look them both up in the dictionary and you'll see different uses for each word.

Thank you, Marianne. - 005faa61, May 2, 2010

Answer 6

Poco is not much Pequeño is not large