How many is a few?

[WanderingWitches]

If you are talking about sweets or chocolates such as quality sweet size.

My 7 year old insists it's 3, but I have a vivid memory of being in infant class and being shouted at for taking 3 sweets because 'a few is 2!'

Lighthearted obviously

2vis a couple
3 or 4 is a few
5 is 5
Several is 6 or 7

3 is a few, 2 is a couple.

Quality street type small chocolates if I said to someone to take a few I’d maybe think 3 or 4? 2 is definitely a couple!

I was taught a few is 3/4. 2 is a couple.

Absolutely this. And I won’t be convinced otherwise.

Three or four is a few.

Two is a couple, obviously.

Yep, this is right (except 5 = a handful!)

A few is 3, but a rough 3. So in this situation, 3 or 4. Wouldn't bat an eyelid at an adult taking 5 unless they were leaving everyone else short.

This, although I think you could argue that 5 is still a few 😁

If it's chocolates then 8 is quite a lot.
9 is a lot.
10 is loads, you greedy bugger.

2 is not a few.
A few is more than 2.

But less than several.

It's not a specific number.
We have numbers to use when needed.
The number in a few will vary in each situation.
It might often be 3.
Or 4.
Or more.

I'd forgotten 5 is a handful.

Personally, I'd say 4 as a guideline in this context (Quality Street)--but if you mean a specific number, say the specific number.
It's open to interpretation ("Would you like a few peas?" so don't expect people to guess/ read your mind. If you think it means a specific number, just say the specific number.

This

I would say up to 5 is a few but I'm generous with sweeties. 2 is too few.

I'm 43 years old and stop myself when someone says take a few, and just take 2, in case that teacher was actually right!

I feel like I've been short changed 🤣

It depends. Smarties? A few is maybe 6 or 7. Roses-3, maybe 4.

2 is a couple....

When I was small and went to the shop, if someone asked for a couple of pints, I wondered how the shopkeeper knew how many to give.I hadn't worked out the difference between a few and a couple. Added to this, how many is some?

A couple is 2, a few is 3 as far as I'm concerned. It's not exact but a few is definitely more than 2.

A few is 3, possibly 4 but mainly means 3. Depends on context. I would also use a "few" as in "there's only a few left" just to mean "not very many" but more than 2. It definitely DOES NOT mean 2. That's a couple as pp have said. Your teacher was wrong or being mean.

Came on to say this.

A couple is 2
A few is 3-4
A handful is 5 -6
Several is 7+

Couple = 2
Few = 5
Several = 7

I have no idea why I think this but I believe it to be true 😁

Agree, 2 is a couple and 3 is a few, 4, 5 and 6 is several. Although 6 is greedy.

Oh gosh, yes!
How many IS some??
I just wish people would use the actual number!

2 a couple
3/4 a few to me