ein paar

pronoun
a few
B1

'ein paar' is an indefinite quantifier meaning 'a few' or 'a couple (of)'. It's written lowercase and used with plural nouns (ein paar Freunde). It's not declined and differs from 'ein Paar' (capital P) meaning 'a pair'. Context decides whether small number or simply a couple.

Examples

Ich habe ein paar Fragen zum Unterricht.
I have a few questions about the lesson.
Sie kaufte ein paar Brote, damit die Gäste am Abend etwas zu essen bekämen.
She bought a few loaves of bread so that the guests would have something to eat in the evening.

Details

Typeindefinite

Mnemonics

👁️Picture a small handful of items — just a few — held in one hand.
👂Sounds like 'ein' (one) + 'par' (pair) — think 'a small number or pair'.

Notes

ein paar (lowercase) usually means 'a few' (indefinite quantity). Be careful not to confuse it with 'ein Paar' (capitalized), which can mean 'a couple' or 'a pair' as a noun.

Category

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