How many is a couple?

[Crown42Royal]

Re: How many is a couple?

A couple is two, a few is three, and several is four or more IMO.

Co-sign

[Blzer]

Re: How many is a couple?

"A couple" is two, and "a few" is three. But if you say "just a couple," it becomes two or more. Same with "just a few." It's the way of perhaps impolitely claiming that you want more than you're asking for but you don't want to be specific about it.

[Vince]

Re: How many is a couple?

It depends on context.

"I'm with a couple of people right now"

"I'm going to meet this Canadian couple"

[daflyboys]

Re: How many is a couple?

It depends on context.

"I'm with a couple of people right now"

"I'm going to meet this Canadian couple"

Maybe that's just not using it in the right context. You could also say, "I'm with a few people right now." But you wouldn't say, "I'm going to meet this Canadian few."


Also when you "couple" things together, you are typically referring to 2 entities being joined.

[Blzer]

Re: How many is a couple?

Most definitely 2. A few is like 3-5 to me, while Several is 5+.

LOL I can see this going down in McDonald's:

Cashier: Here's your order. Thank you for choosing McDonald's.
ChubbyBanana: Yeah, uhh can I get some ketchup?
Cashier: Sure, how many?
ChubbyBanana: A few, please.

(Cashier gives six packets of ketchup)

ChubbyBanana: What is this? I asked for a few.
Cashier: That is a few, sir... like you asked.
ChubbyBanana: No, you gave me six. Six is several. I asked for "a few." I can't handle several packets of ketchup, a couple of them will go to waste!
Cashier: Why would a couple go to waste when you said that you were going to use a few instead of several?
ChubbyBanana: (short-circuiting) Obviously, our views on these terms aren't the same. Who taught you that "a few" is six packets?
Cashier: A couple of my friends.
ChubbyBanana: Two of your friends? What about the other several?
Cashier: No, about four of my friends.
ChubbyBanana: (facepalm) Four is not "a couple." Now please, take back one to three of my ketchup packets back.
Blzer: (runs into the store) Are double cheeseburgers a dollar again yet?

[Hassan Darkside]

Re: How many is a couple?

^^

[Lintyfresh85]

Re: How many is a couple?

2.

[Brandon13]

Re: How many is a couple?

2.

[headrulz101]

Re: How many is a couple?

LOL I can see this going down in McDonald's:

Cashier: Here's your order. Thank you for choosing McDonald's.
ChubbyBanana: Yeah, uhh can I get some ketchup?
Cashier: Sure, how many?
ChubbyBanana: A few, please.

(Cashier gives six packets of ketchup)

ChubbyBanana: What is this? I asked for a few.
Cashier: That is a few, sir... like you asked.
ChubbyBanana: No, you gave me six. Six is several. I asked for "a few." I can't handle several packets of ketchup, a couple of them will go to waste!
Cashier: Why would a couple go to waste when you said that you were going to use a few instead of several?
ChubbyBanana: (short-circuiting) Obviously, our views on these terms aren't the same. Who taught you that "a few" is six packets?
Cashier: A couple of my friends.
ChubbyBanana: Two of your friends? What about the other several?
Cashier: No, about four of my friends.
ChubbyBanana: (facepalm) Four is not "a couple." Now please, take back one to three of my ketchup packets back.
Blzer: (runs into the store) Are double cheeseburgers a dollar again yet?

Lmao! This reminded me of the famous Abott and Costello baseball skit.

Where I grew up in Montreal, a couple could've meant more than two. It's just the way people spoke. Instead of saying, "I'm bringing a few people," we'd say, "I'm bringing a couple of people." I got used to it anyways.

[the_future420]

Re: How many is a couple?

A couple is two, a few is three, and several is four or more IMO.

THIS.

[youvalss]

Re: How many is a couple?

Anyone would take a chance and write "couple of weeks" (to indicate 2 weeks) on a contract? Then say that you actually meant more than 2 weeks, then it'll go to court and THEN we will finally get our answer

[ZM Punk]

Re: How many is a couple?

A couple is two.

[MassNole]

Re: How many is a couple?

It depends on the context, although literally meaning two, nonetheless in slang form I could see a couple meaning 2-5, like in "I am going to have a couple of drinks at the bar."

[Beantown]

Re: How many is a couple?

It depends on the context, although literally meaning two, nonetheless in slang form I could see a couple meaning 2-5, like in "I am going to have a couple of drinks at the bar."

No - that just means you're going to have 2 beers. You *****.

[pfunk880]

Re: How many is a couple?

LOL I can see this going down in McDonald's:

Cashier: Here's your order. Thank you for choosing McDonald's.
ChubbyBanana: Yeah, uhh can I get some ketchup?
Cashier: Sure, how many?
ChubbyBanana: A few, please.

(Cashier gives six packets of ketchup)

ChubbyBanana: What is this? I asked for a few.
Cashier: That is a few, sir... like you asked.
ChubbyBanana: No, you gave me six. Six is several. I asked for "a few." I can't handle several packets of ketchup, a couple of them will go to waste!
Cashier: Why would a couple go to waste when you said that you were going to use a few instead of several?
ChubbyBanana: (short-circuiting) Obviously, our views on these terms aren't the same. Who taught you that "a few" is six packets?
Cashier: A couple of my friends.
ChubbyBanana: Two of your friends? What about the other several?
Cashier: No, about four of my friends.
ChubbyBanana: (facepalm) Four is not "a couple." Now please, take back one to three of my ketchup packets back.
Blzer: (runs into the store) Are double cheeseburgers a dollar again yet?

I've never heard anyone say "Thank you for choosing McDonalds"

Back on topic, I definitely think a couple should be two, but sometimes I will use it to refer to more than two.