Viel vs Viele – Much vs Many
When deciding between viel and viele in German, the key difference is whether you are modifying a countable noun or an uncountable noun. This short guide shows you when to use each word with clear examples.
Viel
Use viel with uncountable nouns, such as substances, abstract things, or mass nouns that you cannot count individually. German treats these as singular and viel aligns with that.
Examples
| German Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| ☕ Ich trinke viel Kaffee heute Morgen. | I drank a lot of coffee this morning. |
| 📝 Sie hat viel Arbeit zu erledigen. | She has a lot of work to do. |
| 📚 Er liest viel Literatur für sein Studium. | He reads a lot of literature for his studies. |
| 💡 Wir haben heute viel Neues gelernt. | We learned a lot of new things today. |
| 🧴 Du hast viel Seife benutzt. | You used a lot of soap. |
Key Expressions
| German Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🧴 viel Seife | a lot of soap |
| 🧼 viel Wasser | a lot of water |
| 🧻 viel Papier | a lot of paper |
| 🧽 viel Schaum | a lot of foam |
| 🚿 viel Wasser | much water |
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Viele
Use viele with countable nouns where you can enumerate individual items. Viele agrees with plural nouns and is used when you want to highlight numerous discrete units.
Examples
| German Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🥐 Es gibt viele Brötchen auf dem Tisch. | There are many rolls on the table. |
| 🍊 Sie haben viele Orangen gekauft. | They bought many oranges. |
| 🥗 Ich habe viele Freunde zum Essen eingeladen. | I invited many friends to eat. |
| 🥛 Es sind viele Gläser auf dem Regal. | There are many glasses on the shelf. |
| 🍪 Wir haben viele Kekse gebacken. | We baked many cookies. |
Key Expressions
| German Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🥖 viele Brote | many loaves of bread |
| 🍎 viele Äpfel | many apples |
| 🍌 viele Bananen | many bananas |
| 🥫 viele Dosen | many cans |
| 🧺 viele Tüten | many bags |
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Some Related Words
German has other quantifiers that distinguish between countable and uncountable, so paying attention to noun type helps you choose the right word and sound natural.
Summary
In short, use viel for uncountable (mass) nouns and viele for countable plural nouns. Switching them changes the meaning or sounds wrong, so identify whether the noun is something you can count.
Usage
German distinguishes quantifiers based on whether the noun is countable or uncountable. This guide focuses on viel versus viele, two common words learners encounter when expressing quantity.
Regular Verbs
To illustrate quantifiers in context, it helps to look at sentences with familiar nouns and simple verbs that show time, amount, or frequency.
-ar Verbs
-er Verbs
-ir Verbs
Stem-Changing Verbs
Some verbs change their stem in certain forms, which can affect how natural examples sound when describing amounts or actions related to time and quantity.
Irregular Verbs
Common irregular verbs often appear in examples about quantity, so knowing their forms helps you create sentences that mention viel, viele, and related expressions.
ir / ser (to go / to be)
hacer (to do, to make)
tener (to have)
Signal Words
Signal words like einige, wenig, mehr and contextual clues help determine whether a noun is countable or uncountable, guiding you to use viel or viele correctly.
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Summary
Use viel with uncountable nouns and viele with countable plural nouns. Pay attention to the noun type and signal words to choose the right quantifier and make your German sound natural.
Last updated: Tue Sep 16, 2025