German distinguishes between viel and viele based on whether the noun is countable or uncountable, so choosing the right one depends on that distinction. This guide explains when to use each and gives quick examples.
Viel
Use viel with uncountable nouns that represent mass or quantity you can't count individually; such nouns are usually singular and sometimes appear with a partitive article. Viel applies to things like time, money, water, and information.
Viele
Use viele with countable nouns where you can quantify individual items; such nouns are plural and refer to distinct units like books, people, apples, or cars. Viele emphasizes number rather than amount.
Examples
Summary
Remember: use viel for uncountable singular nouns that measure amount and viele for countable plural nouns that measure number; switching them changes meaning and sounds odd to native speakers.
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025