QUANTIFERS

Quantifiers indicate the quantity of a noun. They respond to the questions, “How much?” or “How many?”. As with the articles in
English, quantifiers define nouns and are always located in front of the noun they define. Some quantifiers can be used only with
countable nouns, others only with uncountable nouns and others with both (ambos).
QUANTIFER TYPE OF SENTENCE TYPE OF NOUNS EXPLANATION (USE EXAMPLE
AND MEANING)
MANY  Negative (-)  Countable nouns in Meaning: A large (una Negative Sentences:
 Interrogative (?) plural grande cantidad, un There are not many
--------------------------------- grande, una gran) but tourists.
 Affirmative (+) (it’s indefinite quantity
not very common.) Interrogative Sentences:
“Many” can also How many cats do you
(también) be combined have?
with “too” or “so” to
express the idea of an Affirmative Sentences:
excessive quantity. We have many friends.

With “too” or “so”:

There are too many
changes for me.

There are so many things

I want to do!
MUCH  Negative (-)  Uncountable nouns Meaning: a large, but Negative Sentences:
 Interrogative (?) indefinite quantity. There is not much time.
----------------------------------
 Affirmative (it’s not Like (igual a) “many”, Interrogative Sentences:
very common.) “much” can also be How much money does
combined with “too” or he have?
“so” to express the idea
of an excessive quantity. Affirmative Sentences:
We have much to do!

With “too” or “so” :

There is too much work.

We have so much work

to do!
A LOT OF  Negative (-)  Countable Meaning: a large, but Affirmative
----------------------------------  Affirmative (+)  Uncountable indefinite quantity Sentences/Countable
LOTS OF ---------------------------- Nouns:
 Interrogative (?)(it’s In general, the use of He has a lot of books.
not very common.) “lots of” is more
informal. Negative
Sentences/Countable
Nouns:
He does not have a lot of
books.

Affirmative
Sentences/Uncountable
Nouns:
I have lots of money.
Negative

Sentences/Uncountable
Nouns:
I do not have a lot of
money.
SOME  Affirmative  Uncountable Meaning: an unspecified Affirmative
--------------------------------  Countable (in plural) (sin especificar), but Sentences/Countable
 Interrogative limited quantity Nouns:
(occasionally to She has some apples.
affirm something)
Affirmative
Sentences/Uncountable
Nouns:
There is some milk in the
kitchen.

Interrogative Sentences:
Would you like some
coffee?
ANY  Negative (-)  Uncountable Meaning: an unspecified Negative
 Interrogative (?)  Countable (in plural) quantity, one or more. Sentences/Countable
Nouns:
I do not have any cats.

Negative
Sentences/Uncountable
Nouns:
He does not have any
money.

Interrogative
Sentences/Countable
Nouns:
Are there any changes?

Interrogative
Sentences/Uncountable
Nouns:
Is there any milk?
No  Negative (-)  Uncountable Meaning: not any; lack of Interrogative
---------------------------------  Interrogative (?)  Countable (ausencia de) anything Sentences/Countable
None Nouns:
As (a) opposed How many pencils are
(diferencia) to “no”, there? None.
“none” can be used
without (sin) a noun Negative
(countable or Sentences/Countable
uncountable). It is Nouns:
therefore (por lo tanto) There are no pencils.
generally found at the Interrogative
end of a sentence and
only in response to a Sentences/Uncountable
question that refers to Nouns:
quantity. How much money do
you have? None.

Negative
Sentences/Uncountable
Nouns:
I have no money.
FEW  Negative (-)  Countable Meaning: a small, but Interrogative Sentences:
----------------------------------  Interrogative (?) indefinite quantity Do you have a few
A FEW  Affirmative (+) dollars?
As we saw (vimos) above
(anteriormente), the use Affirmative Sentences:
of one over the other There are few tourists
reflects an opinion about here today.
the quantity. “Few”
reflects a negative
opinion, while “a few” a
positive one.
LITTLE  Negative (-)  Uncountable Meaning: a small, but Interrogative Sentences:
----------------------------------  Interrogative (?) indefinite quantity Do you have a little
A LITTLE  Affirmative (+) money?
The use of “a little”
implies a positive Affirmative Sentences:
opinion of the quantity, We have little time.
while the use of “little”
reflects a negative
attitude.