Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| немно́го | nemnógo | |
| чуть-чу́ть | čutʹ-čútʹ | |
| чу́точку | čútočku | |
| слегка | slexka | [s⁽ʲ⁾lʲɪxˈka] (narrow) |
| немножечко | nemnožečko | [nʲɪˈmnoʐɨt͡ɕkə] (narrow) |
| немножко | nemnožko | [nʲɪˈmnoʂkə] (narrow) |
These terms are used to express something occurring to a small extent or degree. While many forms function as adverbs of quantity, слегка is specifically used with adjectives to describe a state or quality.
What does it mean word for word?
The word немно́го is derived from a root meaning 'little' or 'few'.
Which one should you use?
чуть-чуть is more informal and emphasizes a smaller amount than немно́го, often translated as 'a tiny bit'. In contrast, слегка is used to mean 'slightly' and is often used with adjectives to describe a state or quality. For a more professional or technical tone when expressing that something is insignificant or slight, you may use Незначительно.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The term немножко is a more colloquial and softer version of немно́го. For an even more affectionate tone or to emphasize an extremely small amount, you can use the diminutive form немножечко, which means 'a tiny little bit'.
How do you pronounce it?
nemnógo
Did you know?
- When Russians say they speak немно́го of a language, it is often a modest understatement, even if they are actually quite proficient.
- Using чуть-чу́ть can sometimes imply that something almost happened but did not, similar to the English phrase 'just a hair' or 'nearly'.
- The word чуть-чуть can be used to exaggerate how small something is, effectively meaning 'not at all' in certain sarcastic contexts.
Examples in context
- Я был слегка пьян.I was a little drunk.The first sentence uses слегка to describe being a little drunk.Tatoeba #6362964 by marafon, translation #5938358 by CK
- Я был слегка занят.I've been a little busy.The second sentence uses слегка to describe being a little busy.Tatoeba #4771470 by marafon, translation #2046745 by CK
- Я слегка на нервах.I'm a little stressed.The third sentence uses слегка to describe being a little stressed.Tatoeba #12302437 by Ooneykcall, translation #12195049 by DJ_Saidez
- Могу я попросить еще чуть-чуть газировки?Can I have a little bit more soda, please?
- Увеличьте размер шрифта незначительно.Increase the font size slightly.
- 106 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sergei and Anastasia are discussing how much salt is in a soup.
- Сергей SergeyТы добавила соли?Ty dobavila soli?Did you add salt?
- Анастасия AnastasiaДа, я добавила лишь немно́го.Da, ya dobavila lish' nemnogo.Yes, I added just a little.
- Сергей SergeyТеперь суп очень вкусный.Teper' sup ochen' vkusnyy.Now the soup is very tasty.
- Анастасия AnastasiaЯ рада, что тебе нравится.Ya rada, chto tebe nravitsya.I am glad that you like it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “a little” translations and entries слегка, немножечко, немножко, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
