Quelque(s) épinards

I want to know how whether to use "quelques" or "quelque" to say "some spinach". I'm aware I can simply say "des épinards", but want to know which one is correct or if it's even possible to use this construction. Quelques is meant to be used with countable nouns and quelque uncountable nouns. But what if the noun,"épinards" in this case, is both plural and uncountable?

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Permalink Reply by Elea on December 28, 2011 at 9:00pm

Hello ! I'm french native speaker so i'm not sure i can explain in english but i will write exemples

Yes "quelques" is for something countable as : quelques épinards, quelques enfants, quelques animaux, quelques tables etc... for exemple someone asks you how many children were in the streets, you know that there weren't so many but you don't remember EXACTLY the number of children you say : "Il y avait quelques enfants dans la rue"

An other case with your "épinard" you asks some spinach you can say "Je voudrais quelques épinards" and you can say (for me it's more french) : "Je voudrais un peu d'épinards" because "quelques" doesn't mean a big quantity :) If you only say "Je voudrais des épinards" the person doesn't know what quantity of spinach you want, so the person will serve you normal quantity normally.

and "quelque" is for something uncountable, something abstract as : quelque part (somewhere), quelque chose (something) and for expressions as : en quelque sorte

(there are others cases more difficult about use of this words, if you are advanced you will understand and if you're beginner you will see this later)