Los cuantificadores indican cantidad o número sin usar cifras exactas. Cada uno funciona con sustantivos contables, incontables o ambos.
Contables
many · a few · few · several · a number of
Incontables
much · a little · little · a great deal of
Ambos
a lot of · lots of · some · any · enough · plenty of · most · all · no
a lot of / lots of
Gran cantidad — funciona con contables e incontables
Contable
There are a lot of people here.
Incontable
She has a lot of experience.
lots of (informal)
Lots of people came. (hablado/informal)
a lot of vs much/many: Usa "a lot of" en frases afirmativas. Usa "much/many" principalmente en negativas e interrogativas: "I don't have much time." / "Do you have many friends?"
enough · plenty of · several
enough
la cantidad suficiente — We have enough food. / She isn't old enough.
plenty of
más que suficiente — There is plenty of time. Don't rush.
several
más de dos pero no muchos (solo contables) — I've been there several times.
enough va ANTES del sustantivo pero DESPUÉS del adjetivo: enough time / old enough. Este orden confunde a muchos estudiantes.
all, most, no
Totalidad, mayoría, cero
all
All students must attend. / I spent all my money.
most
Most people agree. / She ate most of her dinner.
no
There is no milk left. / No students failed.
none of
None of the students failed. (+ of + the/this/my...)
no + sustantivo (directo) vs none of + the/my/these + sustantivo: "no students" / "none of the students".
Errores frecuentes
Cuando el español interfiere
I have many money.
→
I have a lot of money.
frase afirmativa → a lot of (no many — dinero es incontable)
She is enough old to drive.
→
She is old enough to drive.
enough va DESPUÉS del adjetivo
I have no any money.
→
I have no money. / I don't have any money.
usa "no" O "not any" — nunca ambos juntos
Most of people agree.
→
Most people agree. (no se necesita "of")
Most + sustantivo directamente (a menos que sea "most of the people")
Resumen
Gran cantidad
a lot of / lots of (ambos)
a lot of time, a lot of books
Enough
enough ANTES del sustantivo, DESPUÉS del adjetivo
enough food / old enough
Several
solo contables: más de dos
several times, several people
All, most, no
all + sustantivo · most + sustantivo · no + sustantivo