Expressions of Quantity

French expressions of quantity
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Expressions de quantité

Expressions of quantity express how much or how many of a given noun.

Adverbs of quantity
assez de quite, fairly, enough
autant de as much, as many
beaucoup de a lot of
bien de quite a few
combien de how many, much
de nombreux numerous, many
de trop too much, too many
encore de more
la majorité de* the majority of
un maximum de a lot
un minimum de a little
la minorité de* the minority of
moins de less, fewer
un nombre de a number of
pas mal de quite a few
(un) peu de few, little, not very

un peuple de

 a crowd of
la plupart de* most
plus de more
une quantité de a lot of
tant de so much, so many
trop de too much, too many
   
Approximate amounts
à peu près about, around
une bouchée de a mouthful of
une gorgée de a sip, gulp of
une poignée de a handful of
etc.
 		  
Approximate numbers
une douzaine de a dozen
une centaine de about a hundred
milliers de thousands
etc.
 		  
Containers
une boîte de a can of
une bouteille de a bottle of
un carton de a box of
un pot de a jar/cup of
une tasse de a cup of
un verre de a glass of
   
Weights and measures
un litre de a liter of
un kilo de a kilo of
un mètre de a meter of

Most of the above expressions are followed by de plus a noun with no article.*

Il va lire une douzaine de livres. He’s going to read a dozen books.
J’ai acheté plus de dix bouteilles de vin. I bought more than ten bottles of wine.
Combien d’argent as-tu dépensé ? How much money did you spend?

 However, when the noun is specific, the article is needed (in both French and English).

Il va lire une douzaine des livres que tu as recommandés. He’s going to read a dozen of the books you recommended.
J’ai acheté dix bouteilles du vin que tu aimes. I bought ten bottles of the wine you like.
Combien de l’argent que je t’ai prêté as-tu dépensé ? How much of the money I loaned you did you spend?

Learn more: De vs du, de la, des

* Except for the starred phrases, which always require the article.

La majorité des questions sont intéressantes. The majority of the questions are interesting.
La plupart des étudiants seront en retard. Most of the students will be late.

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French expressions of quantity

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