kaunti

Kaunti is a common word in Filipino that denotes a small amount or a small number. It functions as a determiner, quantifier, or predicative adjective, and it is used to indicate a limited quantity in relation to what is being discussed. Examples include phrases such as kaunting oras (a little time), kaunting pera (a little money), and kaunting tulong (a little help). The word can also stand alone in contexts like may kaunti pa (there is a little more) or kaunti na lang (only a few left).

Grammatical notes and variants

In standard usage, kaunti appears before or with the noun to describe quantity, while the inflected form kaunting is commonly used before a noun (kaunting oras, kaunting pagkain). The colloquial forms konti or konting are widely used in everyday speech and carry the same basic meaning. Form choice often reflects the speaker’s register: kaunti/kaunting for more formal or written contexts, and konti/konting in casual conversation. The word is flexible and can appear in predicate position as well, such as May kaunti pa (There is a little more).

Regional and stylistic considerations

Kaunti is understood across Filipino-speaking regions. It is distinct from synonyms that describe size or degree, such as maliit (small in size) or marami (many). As a quantitative term, kaunti emphasizes quantity or amount rather than physical dimensions. In modern usage, it remains a frequent and neutral component of everyday speech and writing.

See also: Konti, Konting, Maliit, Marami.