Viel

Viel is a German quantifier used to indicate a large amount or number. It can function as an adverb, a determiner before nouns, or as a pronoun. In ordinary writing, viel is lowercase, while certain noun-like uses such as Vieles or Das Viele are capitalized as pronouns or nouns.

Forms and usage

As a determiner before nouns, viel accompanies uncountable nouns and remains uninflected: viel Geld, viel Wasser. Before countable plural nouns, the form is viele: viele Bücher, viele Freunde. As an adverb, viel modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs: er arbeitet viel, es ist viel besser, viel zu tun. In front of comparative adjectives, viel can express degree: viel deutlicher, viel größer.

As a pronoun, Vieles is common and means “a lot of it / many things.” For example: Vieles hat sich verändert. Less frequently, the expression Das Viele is used in more formal or literary contexts to refer to “the many,” though Vieles is far more common in everyday German.

Relations and contrasts

Viel contrasts with wenig, meaning a small amount or few. Expressions like zu viel (too much) and viel zu (much too) are common. Synonyms or approximate equivalents include eine Menge, eine große Zahl, or massenweise, depending on nuance. The choice between viel and viele depends on whether the noun is uncountable or countable in the given context.

See also

Wenig; zu viel; vielmals (many times); vieles (much of it).