Ο καφές είναι λίγος.

There is little coffee.

Breakdown of Ο καφές είναι λίγος.

• είμαι: to be
• ο καφές: the coffee
• λίγος: some

Questions & Answers about Ο καφές είναι λίγος.

Why do we use Ο in Ο καφές είναι λίγος? In English the translation is something like There is little coffee, without the.

In Greek, a singular countable noun used as the subject almost always takes a definite article.

• Ο καφές = the coffee (in general / the coffee we’re talking about)
• Greek normally does not say just Καφές είναι λίγος. That sounds wrong or very odd.
• Even when English uses a more abstract or impersonal structure (There is little coffee), Greek often prefers a normal subject:
  Ο καφές είναι λίγος = literally The coffee is little (in quantity) → idiomatically There is little coffee / The coffee is not much.

So the article Ο is required here because καφές is the subject of the sentence.

What gender is καφές, and how can I tell?

Καφές is masculine.

• The definite article ο marks masculine singular: ο καφές.
• Many masculine nouns in Greek end in -ής or -ές in the nominative singular:
  ο καφές, ο μαθητής (the student), ο τουριστής (the tourist).
• You usually learn the gender together with the noun plus its article: ο καφές (m), η ζάχαρη (f), το γάλα (n).

So you should memorize ο καφές (masculine) as a whole phrase.

Why is it λίγος and not λίγο here?

Because λίγος is functioning as an adjective that must agree with ο καφές in gender, number, and case.

• ο καφές → masculine, singular, nominative
• The matching form of the adjective is: λίγος (masc. nom. sg.)

Basic forms of λίγος (little, few):

• Masculine: λίγος (sg.), λίγοι (pl.)
• Feminine: λίγη (sg.), λίγες (pl.)
• Neuter: λίγο (sg.), λίγα (pl.)

So:

• Ο καφές είναι λίγος. – The coffee (amount) is little.
• Η ζάχαρη είναι λίγη. – The sugar is little.
• Το γάλα είναι λίγο. – The milk is little.

Here we need λίγος to match ο καφές.

What is the difference between λίγος and λίγο?

There are two main uses:

1. Adjective (agrees with a noun in gender/number/case)

   • Masculine: λίγος καφές – a little coffee
   • Feminine: λίγη ζάχαρη – a little sugar
   • Neuter: λίγο γάλα – a little milk
   • In Ο καφές είναι λίγος, λίγος is an adjective describing the noun καφές.

2. Adverb / neuter form (often used as “a little / a bit”)

   • Θέλω λίγο καφέ. – I want a little coffee.
     (Here λίγο is neuter, used in a quantity expression in front of the noun.)
   • Πεινάω λίγο. – I am a little hungry.
   • Είναι λίγο ακριβό. – It is a bit expensive.

If you say Ο καφές είναι λίγο without anything after it, it sounds incomplete. You’d expect:
Ο καφές είναι λίγο κρύος. – The coffee is a bit cold.
There λίγο is an adverb modifying κρύος.

Does Ο καφές είναι λίγος talk about the quantity or the quality of the coffee?

It talks about quantity, not quality.

• Ο καφές είναι λίγος. = The amount of coffee is small / There is not much coffee.
• If you want to complain about quality, you would use other adjectives:
  
  • Ο καφές είναι κακός. – The coffee is bad.
  • Ο καφές είναι αδύναμος. – The coffee is weak.
  • Ο καφές είναι κρύος. – The coffee is cold.

So λίγος here means little (not enough) in terms of amount.

Is Ο καφές είναι λίγος neutral, or does it usually imply a problem (like “not enough coffee”)?

It usually has a slight negative or complaining tone: the quantity is small and probably not enough.

• Context where someone is worried:
  Ο καφές είναι λίγος, δεν θα μας φτάσει. – The coffee is little, it won’t be enough for us.
• If you just want to say there is a little coffee in a more neutral way, you might say:
  Έχουμε λίγο καφέ. – We have a little coffee.
  Υπάρχει λίγος καφές. – There is a little coffee.

So είναι λίγος often implies insufficient.

Could I also say Υπάρχει λίγος καφές instead of Ο καφές είναι λίγος?

Yes, and the meaning is very close, though the structure is different:

• Ο καφές είναι λίγος.
  Literal: The coffee is little.
  Focus: The coffee (as a specific thing we’re talking about) is not much.

• Υπάρχει λίγος καφές.
  Literal: There exists a little coffee.
  Focus: Simply stating that some amount of coffee exists.

In many contexts they can be interchangeable, but:

• To complain that the amount is not enough, Ο καφές είναι λίγος feels more natural.
• To neutrally report availability, Υπάρχει λίγος καφές is very natural.

Can I omit είναι and just say Ο καφές λίγος?

No. In standard Greek you need the verb είναι (is) in this sentence.

• Ο καφές είναι λίγος. – correct
• Ο καφές λίγος. – sounds incomplete or like telegraphic speech.

Greek does not usually drop the verb to be in simple present statements like this, unlike some informal patterns in other languages.

Can I change the word order and say Λίγος είναι ο καφές or Είναι λίγος ο καφές?

Yes, both are grammatically correct, but they change the emphasis.

• Ο καφές είναι λίγος. – neutral word order, normal statement.
• Είναι λίγος ο καφές. – emphasizes λίγος a bit more; often used to stress the result or conclusion.
• Λίγος είναι ο καφές. – strong emphasis on λίγος; often used in contrast, e.g.:
  Λίγος είναι ο καφές και πολλοί είμαστε. – The coffee is little and we are many.

All three are possible, but the original one is the default.

How would I say The coffees are few (plural) instead of The coffee is little (singular)?

You change both the noun and the adjective to plural:

• Singular: Ο καφές είναι λίγος. – The coffee is little (there isn’t much coffee).
• Plural: Οι καφέδες είναι λίγοι. – The coffees are few / There are few coffees.

Note the changes:

• ο καφές → οι καφέδες (masculine plural, nominative)
• λίγος → λίγοι (masculine plural, nominative)

What is the difference between λίγος and μικρός?

Both can be translated as little or small, but they focus on different things:

• λίγος = small amount or number (quantity)

  • Ο καφές είναι λίγος. – There is little coffee (not enough amount).
  • Οι καφέδες είναι λίγοι. – There are few coffees.

• μικρός = small size or age

  • Ένα μικρό φλιτζάνι καφέ. – A small cup of coffee.
  • Ένα μικρό παιδί. – A small/young child.

So, Ο καφές είναι μικρός would be strange; you would normally talk about a small cup, not small coffee. For amount, use λίγος.

How do you pronounce καφές and λίγος, especially the γ?

• καφές: [kaˈfɛs]

  • Stress on the second syllable: καφές.
  • The φ is like f in coffee.

• λίγος: [ˈliɣos]

  • Stress on the first syllable: λίγος.
  • The γ before ο is a voiced velar fricative, similar to a softer gh sound from the back of the throat.
    
    • Between vowels (as in λίγος), it is smoother and more “friction-y” than a hard g.

Putting it together: Ο καφές είναι λίγος → [o kaˈfɛs ˈine ˈliɣos].