un po'
/um ˈpɔ/
un po' is the Italian way to say "little bit".
It can function both as a noun phrase, such as when specifying a quantity like "a little bit of bread," and as an adverb to modify adjectives, such as when saying someone is "a little bit tired."
Meaning: Translations (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a contraction of un poco. The un means "a" and poco means "little".
How does it change in a sentence?
The apostrophe in un po' indicates that the final "co" of the original word poco has been dropped.
How do you pronounce it?
/um ˈpɔ/
Did you know?
- In Italy, the phrase un po' is often accompanied by a gesture where the fingers are gathered together and moved up and down to visually mimic a small quantity.
- Italians often use un po' ironically to describe something that is actually quite large or significant, similar to the English 'a wee bit' in certain dialects.
- In Italian, un po' can be used as a filler phrase similar to 'like' or 'sort of' in English to soften a statement or avoid being too blunt.
Examples in context
- Sono un po' confusa.I'm a little bit confused.This sentence shows how to use un po' to modify an adjective.Tatoeba #1549790 by Guybrush88, translation #7782645 by CK
- Parlami un po' di te.Tell me a little bit about yourself.This sentence demonstrates using un po' to specify a small amount of information.Tatoeba #960752 by Guybrush88, translation #1723445 by belgavox
- Stavo sudando un po'.I was sweating a little bit.This sentence illustrates how un po' can modify a verb describing a state.Tatoeba #5245873 by Guybrush88, translation #5245398 by CK
- Ho bisogno di un po' di tempo per riflettere.I need a little bit of time to think.
- Ho solo un pochino di esperienza in questo campo.I only have a little bit of experience in this field.
- Ho un po' di fame, possiamo fermarci a mangiare qualcosa?I'm a little bit hungry, can we stop to eat something?
- Ho trovato in soffitta un po' di roba interessante.I found some interesting stuff in the attic.
- Ho bisogno di un tantino di aiuto con questo compito.I need a little bit of help with this task.
- Aggiungi un pizzico di sale per esaltarne il sapore.Add a little bit of salt to enhance the flavor.
- 75 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a new hobby.
- AlessandroTi piace la danza?Do you like dancing?
- MartinaSì, mi piace un po'.Yes, I like it a little bit.
- AlessandroVuoi imparare un po' di più?Do you want to learn a little bit more?
- MartinaSì, mi piacerebbe molto.Yes, I would like that a lot.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry un po', CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
