varios

Varios is a Spanish adjective that means “several” or “various.” It agrees with the noun it modifies: varios libros, varias canciones. It is used when the exact number is not specified and the sense is a non-exhaustive set. In formal writing, it can also function as a pronoun, as in varios fueron los candidatos, where several of them were candidates.

Etymology and forms: The word comes from Latin varius, meaning “diverse.” In Spanish, the feminine plural is varias and the masculine plural is varios. The phrase varios de indicates a subset of a previously mentioned group: varios de los libros, varios de los participantes.

Usage notes: Varios is less precise than muchos; it signals more than a couple but does not fix a specific quantity. It often appears before a noun but can also introduce a relative clause or stand with de to specify a portion. Common examples include: varios libros, varios de los libros, varios de ellos.

In translation and related forms: In English, varios translates as “several” or “various.” In other languages, related forms exist such as Portuguese vários, with a similar meaning and usage. The term is widely used in both spoken and written Spanish to denote a non-specific but plural subset within a larger group.

See also: several, various, conjunto de, cantidad indefinida.