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This lesson clarifies the difference between viel (lots of, used with uncountable nouns like Geld, Zeit) and sehr (very, used to intensify adjectives/adverbs such as teuer). Understand how to correctly use viel, viele, and sehr in everyday German.
  1. The adverbs viel and sehr intensify adjectives or indicate quantities.
VerwendungErklärungBeispiel
viel + unzählbarUnzählbare Substantive, keine EndungIch habe viel Geld für die Versicherung.
viele + zählbarZählbare Substantive, Endung nach Fall/Geschlecht/PluralSie zeigt viele Mietwagen im Parkhaus.
sehr + Adjektiv/AdverbVerstärkt Adjektive oder AdverbienDer Mietwagen ist sehr teuer.

Exceptions!

  1. sehr does not come before nouns
  2. viel does not usually come before adverbs/adjectives

Exercise 1: Der Unterschied zwischen viel und sehr

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

viel, sehr, viele

1.
Wir brauchen ... Geld für die Versicherung.
(We need a lot of money for the insurance.)
2.
Das Hotelzimmer ist ... schön.
(The hotel room is very nice.)
3.
Ich habe ... Zeit, um das Formular auszufüllen.
(I have plenty of time to fill out the form.)
4.
Sie zeigt mir ... Mietwagen im Parkhaus.
(She shows me many hire cars in the car park.)
5.
Wir zeigen ... Formulare den neuen Mietern.
(We show many forms to the new tenants.)
6.
Das Essen schmeckt ... gut.
(The food tastes very good.)
7.
Ich gebe ... Bargeld zurück an die Autovermietung.
(I give a lot of cash back to the car rental company.)
8.
Sie sagt ... Details über den Mietwagen.
(She says many details about the hire car.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct phrase each time that correctly applies the difference between 'viel' and 'sehr'.

1.
'sehr' must not be placed before nouns like 'Zeit', but only before adjectives or adverbs.
'viele' is only used before countable nouns, 'Zeit' is uncountable and therefore needs 'viel'.
2.
'sehr' cannot be placed before nouns like 'Geld'.
'viel' does not go before adjectives, so this usage is incorrect.
3.
'sehr' is not placed before nouns, so this usage is incorrect.
'viel' is not used before countable nouns; here 'viele' must be used.
4.
'sehr' must not be directly before nouns like 'Englisch'.
'viel' is not used before adjectives, so this construction is not correct.

The Difference Between viel and sehr

This lesson explains how to correctly use the German words viel and sehr, which both express quantity or intensity but in different ways. Understanding the distinction is essential for accurate and natural expression in German.

Usage Overview

  • viel is used with uncountable nouns (e.g., Geld/money, Zeit/time) to indicate a large amount.
  • viele is the plural form of viel, used with countable nouns (e.g., Autos/cars, Mietwagen/rental cars).
  • sehr is an adverb that intensifies adjectives or other adverbs (e.g., sehr teuer/very expensive, sehr gut/very good).

Examples for Clear Context

  • Ich habe viel Geld für die Versicherung. (I have a lot of money for the insurance.)
  • Sie zeigt viele Mietwagen im Parkhaus. (She shows many rental cars in the parking garage.)
  • Der Mietwagen ist sehr teuer. (The rental car is very expensive.)

Key Points to Remember

  • viel cannot be used before adjectives or adverbs.
  • sehr cannot be placed before nouns.
  • Use viel or viele correctly depending on whether the noun is uncountable or countable.

Differences Between English and German Usage

In English, "much" and "many" function similarly to German viel and viele, but learners often confuse them with "very" which is like sehr. Unlike English, sehr in German is not used before nouns, whereas English might sometimes be less strict in colloquial speech.

Remember these useful phrases:

  • viel Zeit = a lot of time
  • viele Autos = many cars
  • sehr schnell = very fast

By mastering these distinctions, you will improve the naturalness and precision of your German sentences.

Written by

This content has been designed and reviewed by the coLanguage pedagogical team: About coLanguage

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Louis Fernando Hess

Bachelor of Science - Intercultural Business Psychology

Hamm-Lippstadt University of Applied Sciences

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Germany


Last Updated:

Tuesday, 14/10/2025 16:38