other
ein paar
a few
Es bedeutet eine kleine Anzahl von Dingen oder Personen, meist zwei oder wenige mehr.
Definition & meaning
The phrase ein paar is used to refer to a small, indefinite number of things or people. It is equivalent to "a few" or "a couple" in English.
- A small quantity: It describes a small, usually unspecified number of items (e.g., "Ich habe ein paar Fragen" - I have a few questions).
- A couple: Sometimes used to specifically mean two or a very small group, similar to the English "a couple of" (e.g., "in ein paar Tagen" - in a couple of days).
It is important to distinguish this from the noun das Paar , which specifically refers to a pair (two things belonging together, like a pair of shoes).
Grammar & Word origin
- Grammar: It is an indefinite numeral. When used as a pronoun or determiner, it is indeclinable in the nominative and accusative cases, but when it stands alone as a pronoun, it can sometimes take weak adjective endings (e.g., "ein Paaren" is incorrect, but "von ein paar Leuten" is standard). It is always written as two words when meaning "a few."
- Word origin: It derives from the Middle High German word pār, which comes from the Latin par (equal, even). The lowercase "ein paar" evolved as a quantificational phrase, while the capitalized "ein Paar" retains the original meaning of a matched set.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
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Examples
Ich habe ein paar Äpfel gekauft.other
I bought a few apples.
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