pocas

/POH-kahs/

few

Three small red roses are depicted sitting isolated in the middle of a vast, empty green field, symbolizing a small number of feminine items.

As an adjective, 'pocas' means 'few' and describes a small number of feminine nouns, like 'pocas rosas' (few roses).

pocas(adjective)

fA1

few

referring to a small number of feminine items

Also:

not many

describing quantity

📝 In Action

Había pocas sillas disponibles en la sala.

There were few chairs available in the room.

Ella tiene pocas amigas cercanas, pero son leales.

She has few close friends, but they are loyal.

En pocas palabras, fue un desastre.

In few words (briefly), it was a disaster.

Word Connections

Synonyms

escasas (scarce)

Antonyms

muchas (many)

Common Collocations

pocas veces – few times / rarely
pocas horas – a few hours

💡 Grammar Points

Matching the Noun

Since 'pocas' is used to describe a noun, it must match the thing it describes. Use 'pocas' only when the noun is feminine and plural, like 'puertas' (doors) or 'oportunidades' (opportunities).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Confusing Gender

Mistake: "Usar 'pocos' para 'mujeres'."

Correction: Use 'pocas mujeres' because 'mujeres' (women) is feminine plural. 'Pocos' is only for masculine plural nouns.

⭐ Usage Tips

Before the Noun

Unlike adjectives that describe color or size, 'pocas' (a word of quantity) almost always goes directly before the noun it modifies.

A large, empty blue plate with only four small chocolate chip cookies remaining on it, illustrating a scarcity among a previously larger group.

When used as a pronoun, 'pocas' means 'few' or 'only a few' and refers back to feminine items previously mentioned, emphasizing scarcity.

pocas(pronoun)

fA2

few

referring to things already mentioned

Also:

only a few

substituting a noun

📝 In Action

Compramos diez botellas, pero ya quedan muy pocas.

We bought ten bottles, but very few are left.

¿Cuántas flores quieres? Solo dame pocas.

How many flowers do you want? Just give me a few.

💡 Grammar Points

Standing Alone

When 'pocas' is a pronoun, it completely replaces the feminine plural noun (like 'botellas' or 'flores'). You don't need to repeat the noun if everyone knows what you're talking about.

⭐ Usage Tips

Emphasis with 'Muy'

You can strengthen the meaning of 'few' by adding 'muy' (very) before it, as in 'muy pocas,' which emphasizes that the number is small.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: pocas

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly uses 'pocas' as an adjective?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

poco(little (m. singular)) - adjective

poca(little (f. singular)) - adjective

pocos(few (m. plural)) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

Why don't we usually use the article 'las' before 'pocas'?

'Pocas' is a quantifier, meaning it already specifies the quantity (a small number). When you use words like 'poco,' 'mucho,' or 'algún' to talk about an indefinite quantity, you generally skip the article 'las' or 'los.' For example, 'I have few books' is 'Tengo pocos libros,' not 'Tengo los pocos libros.'