ENGLISH
REFERENCE

a couple of sth

idiom
Meaning

This means two of something, or sometimes a small number like two or three. You use it to talk about a small quantity of things.


Examples
SIMPLE

I need a couple of minutes to finish this.

CONTEXTUAL

Could you please bring me a couple of chairs from the other room for our guests?

COMPLEX

After a couple of failed attempts to fix the engine, the mechanic finally identified the underlying issue and completed the repair.

Last updated April 22, 2026