Mehrere vs. EtlicheWhat's the difference?

19.05.2022

The distinction is very straightforward. The German word "mehrere" simply means "multiple". It does not mean "many" (which would be "viele"), but multiple.

The Difference Between "Mehrere" and "Etliche" in German

German can be a difficult language to learn and comprehend, and oftentimes the smallest words can be tricky to get a handle on. This is especially true with the words "mehrere" and "etliche", which may look and sound similar but have very different meanings.

What Does "Mehrere" Mean?

In German, "mehrere" is a plural indefinite pronoun meaning "several" or "many". It is usually used when referring to a number of people or things, and can be translated to English as "many", "several", or "a lot of".

For example:

Es gibt mehrere Möglichkeiten, das zu machen.

There are several ways to do that.

In der Stadt gibt es mehrere Geschäfte.

There are many stores in the city.

What Does "Etliche" Mean?

"Etliche" is another plural indefinite pronoun that is also used to refer to a number of people or things. However, unlike "mehrere", this word has a slightly less definite meaning.

It can be translated to English as "several", "various", or "quite a few". It also has a slightly stronger emphasis on quantity than "mehrere".

For example:

Es gibt etliche Methoden, das Problem zu lösen.

There are several methods to solve the problem.

In der Stadt gibt es etliche Restaurants.

There are quite a few restaurants in the city.

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