“A few” vs. “few”

Question

1. I have few friends.
2. I have a few friends.

I thought "few" means just one, two or even none. "A few" typically means more than two. However it seems to me some people say "few" when they really mean "a few", am I right?

Answer 1

"I have a few friends" is just the same as saying "I have some friends".

"I have few friends", however, implies that you have only a few friends (as opposed to many). In some contexts (not always!), it can also imply that you don't feel very well about it, that you wish you had more friends.

Also, note that there is a very common expression "quite a few", which is a trap for foreign learners because it looks like it could mean "rather few, very few", but it does not. It means the exact opposite thing: "a large or significant number, many". So, saying "I have quite a few friends" is the same as saying "I have quite a lot of friends".

Let's have a look at one more example:

• "A few people think that smoking is healthy."
  = Some people think that smoking is healthy.

• "Few people think that smoking is healthy."
  = Only a few people, a very small number, think that smoking is healthy; most think that it is not.

• "Quite a few people think that smoking is healthy."
  = Many people, a (surprisingly) large number, think that smoking is healthy.

Answer 2

few = not very many, with a focus on the fact that this number is (remarkably) small.

"a few" = not very many, but at least more than one.

Your examples (1) and (2) are talking about the same number of friends, but (1) focuses on the fact that this is a small number and carries a negative connotation, like you don't have as many as one should/could have.

You can also have this apply to something that it is bad to have a lot of and reverse the connotations:

1. I have few enemies. (it is somewhat noteworthy how small the number is; good connotation)
2. I have a few enemies. (I don't have a large number of enemies, but I have more than one)

Answer 3

'Few', when used without a preceding 'a', means "very few" or "none at all". On the other hand, 'a few' is used to indicate "not a large number". The difference is subtle, yet there are instances where the two can mean completely opposite things.

I cant think of any such example for "few minutes" and "a few minutes" but consider this:

"I have a few objections to the vendor's proposed approach." This implies that I am not on board with the vendor's proposal. I have some objections, but not so many as to say "I have several objections...". Nevertheless, I have objections that need to be addressed.

"I have few objections to the vendor's proposed approach." This is a more positive statement that implies I am more or less on board with the proposal. It is not a whole-hearted endorsement, but I barely have any objections at all.

Answer 4

In this example, "few" unambiguously stresses the scarcity, whereas "a few" is used to refer to a small amount, many times as a deliberate understatement.

Answer 5

Few of us realize the importance of this difference. -- (Regrettably,) many of us do not realize the impotance of this difference. -- the stress on the negative aspect.

A few of us are aware of this important difference. -- (Fortunately,) some of us are aware of this difference. -- the stress is on the positive aspect.