How to Say "Only a Little Bit" in Spanish

solo un poco

/solo un poko/from spelling rules

In Spanish, "only a little bit" is translated as solo un poco.

The phrase solo un poco is used to describe a small amount of something or a short distance.

What does it mean word for word?

The phrase is composed of solo (only), un (a) and poco (little/bit).

While solo un poco refers to an amount, if you are referring to a specific countable quantity, you should use solo unos pocos (only a few).

In Spanish, poco can mean 'a little' or 'not much' depending on the article. Un poco means 'a little bit' but poco alone often means 'hardly any'.
In many Spanish-speaking cultures, responding to a request with solo un poco can be a polite way to decline more of something without saying a direct 'no'.
The word poco shares an ancient root with the English word 'few', despite looking more like the Italian 'poco'.

Hablo francés, pero solo un poco.
I can speak French, but only a little bit.
This sentence is useful for showing how to use solo un poco when discussing language proficiency.
Tatoeba #10301951 by DJ_Saidez, translation #5374403 by CK
Necesito solo un poco de café, gracias.
I need only a little bit of coffee, thank you.
¿Podría darme solamente un poquito de azúcar, por favor?
Could you give me only a little bit of sugar, please?
Voy a quedarme nada más un ratito en la fiesta.
I'm only going to stay at the party for just a little bit.
Solo un poco de sal, por favor.
Only a little bit of salt, please.
Él camina solo un poco más allá.
He walks only a little bit further.

Lucía and Mateo are tasting a soup.

Sources

IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
Word origins: Wiktionary entries poco, solo, un, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.

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