Questions & Answers about Uma vez é pouco.
Why is 'once' translated as two words here?
Portuguese doesn't have a single word for 'once'. Instead, you use the word vez, which means a 'time' or 'instance'. So, uma vez literally means 'one time'.
The English translation says 'not much', but doesn't pouco mean 'little'?
Exactly! The literal translation is 'one time is little'. While English speakers often use a negative phrase like 'not much', Portuguese typically uses the direct word pouco to express the same idea.
Since vez is a feminine noun (uma vez), why is it pouco instead of the feminine pouca?
In this sentence, pouco isn't describing the noun vez directly. Instead, it describes the entire abstract idea of 'doing something once'. When describing a general idea or situation rather than a specific noun, Portuguese defaults to the masculine singular form.