“Plusieurs” vs. “beaucoup de”

Question

I would like to say "I receive many emails ." Is it preferable to use plusieurs or beaucoup de?

Je reçois plusieurs mails.

Je reçois beaucoup de mails.

If both are equally acceptable, then is there a difference in meaning?

ON5MF Jurgen · Accepted Answer · 2017-10-02 19:45:45Z

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"Je reçois plusieurs mails" means "I receive multiple emails'. So this is not the same as "beaucoup de" which means "many".

In French I wouldn't use "mails" but "email" or "courriel".

answered Oct 2 '17 at 19:45

ON5MF Jurgen

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C'est peut-être moins correct, mais c'est courant d'utiliser "mails" en français. – Teleporting Goat Oct 4 '17 at 16:14

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SteffX · Accepted Answer · 2017-10-04 15:59:48Z

3

• "Plusieurs" means "several, (a) few" • "Beaucoup de" means "a lot of"

answered Oct 4 '17 at 15:59

SteffX

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Geneviève Henrot · Accepted Answer · 2017-10-08 08:50:16Z

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En outre "Plusieurs" may be used in any registers "beaucoup de" is more colloquial.

answered Oct 8 '17 at 8:50

Geneviève Henrot

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