To express amounts, use expressions like un peu de (a little) and beaucoup de (a lot of). Just like with pas de (zero quantity), these expressions are always followed by de (or d' before a vowel). Drop the usual articles (du, de la, des) completely.
| I add a little pepper and a lot of salt. | J'ajoute un peu de poivre et beaucoup de sel. |
| We mix a lot of rice with a little meat. | Nous mélangeons beaucoup de riz avec un peu de viande. |
Plural nouns
This rule applies even when talking about multiple items. You must strictly use de, never des.
- Incorrect: beaucoup des carottes
- Correct: beaucoup de carottes
| Are you having a little pasta? | Est-ce que tu prends un peu de pâtes ? |
| On Mondays, they eat a lot of carrots and a little rice. | Le lundi, ils mangent beaucoup de carottes et un peu de riz. |
Specific portions
This same rule applies to other specific measurements, such as un morceau de (a piece of).
| I eat a piece of bread with a little jam. | Je mange un morceau de pain avec un peu de confiture. |
| There are a lot of potatoes and a piece of meat. | Il y a beaucoup de pommes de terre et un morceau de viande. |
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