French Grammar: Quantifiers

Definition: A quantifier is a determiner that quantifies its noun, like English "some" and "many." In French, as in English, quantifiers constitute open word class, unlike most other kinds of determiners. In French, most quantifiers are formed using a noun or adverb of quantity and the preposition de (d' when before a vowel).

Quantifiers formed with a noun of quantity and the preposition de include the following:

des tas de lots of

trois kilogrammes de three kilograms of

une brassée de a mouthful of

une douzaine de a dozen (of)

Quantifiers formed with an adverb of quantity and the preposition de include the following:

beaucoup de a lot of

un peu de a little, a few

peu de little, few

assez de, suffisamment de enough of

pas de no, not any

Other quantifiers include:

bien + the partitive article ("much" or "many")
quelque(s) ("some")
the cardinal numbers (37, 5.9, and so on)

des tas de	lots of
trois kilogrammes de	three kilograms of
une brassée de	a mouthful of
une douzaine de	a dozen (of)

beaucoup de	a lot of
un peu de	a little, a few
peu de	little, few
assez de, suffisamment de	enough of
pas de	no, not any