Does "Very little" Translate?

Question

In English when asked things like:

• Do you play basket ball?
• Do you read?
• Do you speak Italian?

A common answer could be "very little", so I am wondering if "Molto poco" is an appropriate response to: "Parli italiano?"

If not, what is used?

Answer 1

Let's take every example in consideration:

"Parli italiano?" / "Leggi?"

• non molto
• non tanto
• un pochino (informal)
• molto poco
• pochissimo

when anwering to "Leggi?" or "Fai sport?" you can also add the adverb "spesso" = often

• non molto / non molto spesso

• non tanto / non tanto spesso

With "non..(verb)...spesso" (non faccio spesso sport / non leggo spesso) you say that you don't do it often. But actually the meaning of the two variants is the same. You just smooth it out in the second way. Italian like to smooth out meanings, to use long sentences to say one thing!

Answer 2

Yes, it is an appropriate response. Other good answers are un pochino (a little bit) which is slightly more informal and non molto (not much).

Answer 3

Also un po' and non molto bene. And in some cases you might have to answer Magari! (something similar to "I wish I did").