ちょっと and 少し: quantity and softening

The idea

少し describes a small amount or degree and works in speech and writing. ちょっと is more conversational; it can also soften a request or signal hesitation. Both can modify verbs and adjectives.

Examples

• 水みずを少すこし飲のみました。I drank a little water.
• この部屋へやはちょっと寒さむいです。This room is a little cold.
• ちょっと待まってください。Please wait a moment.
• ちょっと質問しつもんしてもいいですか。Could I ask you something?
• 日本語にほんごを少すこし勉強べんきょうしました。I studied Japanese for a little while.
• 明日あしたですか。ちょっと難むずかしいです……。Tomorrow? Well, that’s a little difficult…

Watch out

A trailing ちょっと… may politely imply a refusal; it does not literally state the reason. 少し is not a direct substitute for that unfinished response.

Try it yourself

1. In a neutral written account, choose the expression for a small amount: 水みずを＿＿飲のみました。（少すこし／たくさん）

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   少し

   少し describes a small quantity of water; ちょっと can also express quantity, but the prompt asks for the more neutral written form.

2. Choose the conversational expression that softens a request: ＿＿待まってください。（ちょっと／たくさん）

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   ちょっと

   ちょっと softens the request to wait; it is not necessarily a precise duration.

3. Choose the unfinished response that can imply a hesitant refusal: 明日あした、どうですか。＿＿……。（ちょっと／たくさん）

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   ちょっと

   ちょっと… conveys hesitation and can indirectly decline the invitation.

Use it today

Choose the expression for a measured amount, a softened request and a hesitant refusal.