Mehrere vs. EtlicheWhat's the difference?
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:
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: