| Principal Translations |
| a little adj | (small amount) | un poco nm |
| | I just want a little salt on my potatoes. |
| | Sólo quiero un poco de sal en mis patatas. |
| a little adv | (slightly) | ligeramente adv |
| | She was a little angry with me. |
| | The doctor says your blood pressure is a little high. |
| | Ella estaba ligeramente molesta conmigo. // El doctor dice que tu presión sanguínea está ligeramente alta. |
| a little adv | (slightly) | un poco loc adv |
| | | algo adv |
| | I am a little drunk, but in no way incapacitated. |
| | Estoy un poco bebido, pero de ningún modo en estado de ebriedad. |
| | Estoy algo tomado, pero no ebrio. |
Compound Forms:
|
a little bird told me,
a little bird told me that,
I heard from a little bird that expr | figurative, informal (secret source told me) (AmL) | me lo dijo un pajarito, me lo contó un pajarito expr |
| | (AmL) | un pajarito me dijo que, un pajarito me contó que expr |
| | (ES) | me lo ha dicho un pajarito, me lo ha contado un pajarito expr |
| | (ES) | un pajarito me ha dicho que, un pajarito me ha contado que expr |
| a little bit n | informal (small amount) (coloquial) | un poquitín nm |
| | | una pizca nf |
| | | un pelín nm |
| | There wasn't enough salt in the soup so I added a little bit. Could I please have a little bit of cheese? |
| | La sopa no tenía suficiente sal así que agregué un poquitín. |
| a little bit adv | informal (slightly) | un poco, un poquito adv |
| | | un pelín nm |
| | I'm just a little bit dizzy. It was a little bit cheeky of me to ask … but I asked anyway. |
| | Estoy un poco mareado. |
| a little more n | (a small additional quantity) | un poco más loc adv |
| | I already added salt to the potatoes, but I think they could use a little more. |
| | A éste ponle un poco más, está medio vacío. |
| a little more adj | (slightly more) | un poco más loc adv |
| | May I have a little more tea, please? |
| | ¿Puedo tomar un poco más de té, por favor? |
| a little more adv | (for a short while longer) | un poco más loc adv |
| | The girl asked her mother if she could continue playing outside a little more. |
| | La niña preguntó a su mamá si podía seguir jugando afuera un poco más. |
| a little more adv | (slightly more often) | un poco más loc adv |
| | You need to exercise a little more if you want to get fit. |
| | Debes ejercitarte un poco más si quieres estar en forma. |
| a little thing n | informal ([sth] trivial) | una insignificancia nf |
| | (AR, coloquial) | una pavada nf |
| | | una cosa menor |
| | I know it's just a little thing, but I find the constant tapping of your foot annoying. |
| | Sé que es una insignificancia, pero me molesta el taconeo de tus zapatos. |
for a little while,
a little while adv | (for a short time) | un rato loc adv |
| | (informal) | un ratito loc adv |
| | I'll stay for a little while, if you don't mind. |
| | We'll have to wait for a little while before the train comes. |
| | Me quedaré un rato, si no te molesta. |
| | | un momento loc adv |
| | (informal) | un momentito loc adv |
| | Me quedaré un momento, si no te molesta. |
| | (formal) | un corto tiempo, por un corto tiempo loc adv |
| | (formal) | por un breve momento loc adv |
| | Me quedaré por un corto tiempo, si no te molesta. |
| have a little talk v expr | informal (discuss [sth] sensitive) | tener una pequeña conversación loc verb |
| | | tener una charla loc verb |
| | | tener unas palabras loc verb |
| | Young lady, I think it's time you and I had a little talk. |
| | Señorita, creo que es tiempo de que tú y yo tengamos una pequeña conversación. |
| in a little bit adv | informal (soon) | en un ratito loc adv |
| | Please set the table because dinner will be ready in a little bit. |
| | Pongan la mesa, la comida estará lista en un ratito. |
| in a little while adv | (soon) | en un rato loc adv |
| | | dentro de poco loc adv |
| | Olivia said that she would be there in a little while. |
| | Olivia dijo que estaría allí en un rato. |
just shy of,
a little shy of prep | (slightly under) | rozando gerundio |
| | The price of oil is now just shy of $50 a barrel. |
| | El barril de petróleo está rozando los $50. |
| | | casi adv |
| | El barril de petróleo está casi los $50. |
| a little while n | informal (short time) | ratito nm |
| | It will only take me a little while to finish this book. |
| | Me llevará un ratito más terminar de cortar el césped. |
| not a little adv | (a lot, a great deal) | no poco loc adv |
| | I was not a little upset by his remarks. |
| | Estaba no poco enfadado con sus comentarios. |
| | | muy adv |
| | Estaba muy enfadado con sus comentarios. |
| | | enormemente adv |
| | Estaba enormemente enfadado con sus comentarios. |
| quite a little adj | US, informal (striking, outstanding) | todo uno, toda una expr |
| | | maravilloso/a adj |
| | Jackie was quite a little dancer when she was young. |
| | Jackie era toda una bailarina cuando era joven. |
| | Jackie era una bailarina maravillosa cuando era joven. |