"couple of hours" vs "couple hours"

Question

"couple of hours" vs "couple hours"

Both "couple of hours" and "couple hours" are commonly used in English, but "couple of hours" is more grammatically correct and widely accepted. The addition of "of" helps clarify that "couple" is being used as a noun and not an adjective.

Last Updated: April 13, 2024

This phrase is used to refer to a small, indefinite number of hours, usually around two or a few hours. The addition of "of" clarifies that "couple" is a noun.

Examples:

I'll be there in a couple of hours.
It will only take a couple of hours to finish the project.
Let's meet in a couple of hours.
She spent a couple of hours at the gym.
We chatted for a couple of hours.

Alternatives:

a few hours
several hours
a couple hours
a couple hours' time
a couple of hours' time

This phrase is also used to refer to a small, indefinite number of hours, but it is more informal and lacks the "of" that would clarify that "couple" is a noun.

Examples:

I'll be back in a couple hours.
It took a couple hours to fix the car.
Let's grab lunch in a couple hours.
She left a couple hours ago.
We can finish this in a couple hours.

Alternatives:

a few hours
several hours
a couple of hours
a couple hours' time
a couple of hours' time

Answer 1

couple of hours

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

Answer 2

couple hours

This phrase is commonly used in informal speech and writing.