un po'
/um ˈpɔ/
The English phrase 'a little' is translated into Italian as un po'. It is also spelled un poco.
Meaning: to a small extent or degree (adv)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| un po' | /um ˈpɔ/ | |
| un poco | /un ˈpɔ.ko/ (word by word) | alternative form |
un po' is a common and versatile way to say 'a little' to describe something occurring to a small extent or degree. In informal conversations, you might also hear the phrase un tantino, which means 'a little bit'.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a contraction of un poco. In this construction, un means 'a' and po' is a truncated form of poco, meaning 'bit' or 'little'.
Which one should you use?
un po' is the truncated, everyday version, whereas un poco is the complete form.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
un po' is the common form used in everyday speech and is considered informal. un poco is more formal or complete.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using un po' as an adjective to modify a noun, such as 'a little water', it is typically followed by the preposition di.
How do you pronounce it?
/um ˈpɔ/
Did you know?
- In many Italian dialects, the truncated form un po' is so dominant that using the full un poco can make you sound like a character from a 19th-century novel.
- While un po' is the most common, you may encounter the phrase un pizzico in cooking, which literally translates to 'a pinch' of something.
- While un po' describes a small amount, the word poco on its own can mean 'hardly any'. This creates a distinction between 'a little' and 'too little'.
Examples in context
- È un po' vago.That's a little vague.This example shows how to use un po' to describe something being vague.Tatoeba #6135728 by Guybrush88, translation #3723531 by CM
- Ho un po' fame.I'm a little hungry.This example shows how to use un po' to describe feeling hungry.Tatoeba #1064174 by Guybrush88, translation #1048298 by CK
- È un po' pazzo.He's a little crazy.This example shows how to use un po' to describe someone being crazy.Tatoeba #7959855 by Guybrush88, translation #4798662 by cairnhead
- Un po' di zuccheroA little bit of sugar
- Un pochino di pazienzaA little bit of patience
- Scusi, posso avere un po' di aiuto?Excuse me, can I have a little help?
- Vorrei un pochino di pane, per favore.I would like a little bit of bread, please.
- Mi serve poco tempo per finire questo lavoro.I need a little time to finish this job.
- Posso prendere un tantino di cioccolato?Can I have a little bit of chocolate?
- Non ti preoccupare, è solo un po' di niente.Don't worry, it's just a bit of nothing.
- 1472 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Martina and Alessandro are talking about a new restaurant.
- MartinaTi è piaciuta la cena?Did you like the dinner?
- AlessandroSì, ma era un po' salata.Yes, but it was a little salty.
- MartinaAnche a me è sembrata un po' troppo.It seemed a little too much to me too.
- AlessandroPerò il dolce era ottimo.But the dessert was excellent.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “a little” translations and entries un po', un poco, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (un, poco) and can differ in connected speech.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
