Difference between “little” and “small”

Question

Is there a difference between them? If so, how and when are they used?

For example:

I fixed a little/small typo.

Answer 1

When you are denoting size, there is little difference between "little" and "small". In your example sentence, either would work just fine (and mean just about the same thing in everyday usage).

The most significant difference between the two comes into play when you're describing quantity. As others have noted, only "little" can be used to describe quantities.

Another bit about "little" is that depending on whether you have the article "a" in front of it, the meaning flips:

I have a little experience teaching English.

I have little experience teaching English.

The two sentences have opposite meanings. The former indicates your having some experience, whereas the latter indicates your having no experience. Another example of the latter is the word's usage in the first paragraph, first sentence of this answer.

The word "small" has no such issues.

Answer 2

You can use either in that sentence:

I fixed a little typo.

I fixed a small typo.

Where the usage diverges is in the phrase "a little":

I sighed a little when you said that.

This is an adverb meaning somewhat or to some extent.

Edited to add:

Also, "a little" is used to mean a small quantity:

I spilled a little coffee on my shirt when the car went over a pothole.

This is probably best viewed as a contraction of "a little bit of ..." and you would never use small ("I spilled a small coffee on my shirt") to mean the same thing; "small" in that sentence would refer to the size of the cup, not the amount spilled on the shirt.

Answer 3

There are a number of differences, one of which @Robusto has listed, and that is:

"little" can be used as a quantifier, denoting the amount of something, whereas "small" denotes size.

The other difference in usage is, "small" is used to form comparatives and superlatives, but "little" is just used as a description.

i.e "A small/smaller boy" : the reason the boy is small, is because he is being compared to other boys of the same age, and he is of less size than the norm.

"A little boy" is just a boy which is small of size, but doesn't necessarily compare the boy with anything.

You see "little boy", but not "littler boy", because "small" is used to form the comparatives and superlatives.

So, "a little typo/ a small typo" could mean a "typo" small in quantity(little), or significance(small).

If forming the comparatives or superlatives i.e. -er and -est, "small" is usually used.

Answer 4

The meanings diverge especially when referring to people and animals:

She is small

Describes her size.

She is little

Would usually describe her age if she is a person or an animal, although it can also describe size.

In your case:

I fixed a little typo.

I fixed a small typo.

Both forms are interchangeable.