a couple of minutes vs a couple minutes

Both "a couple of minutes" and "a couple minutes" are commonly used phrases in English. They are interchangeable and convey the same meaning. The choice between the two is a matter of personal preference.

Last updated: April 14, 2024 • 1468 views

a couple of minutes

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

This phrase is used to refer to a small, indefinite number of minutes, usually around two or a few more. It is a casual expression often used in everyday conversation.

Examples:

I'll be there in a couple of minutes.
It'll only take a couple of minutes to finish this task.

Show examples from the web [+]

Either is fine, and they are somewhat interchangeable. “A few minutes” is generally regarded as a slightly longer timeframe than “a couple of minutes”, ...
Feb 18, 2020 ... "Couple" can be used as a quantificational noun, in which case, it takes an of-phrase complement (eg. "a couple of minutes").
Literally speaking a couple of minutes is 2 minutes, and few minutes is anything more than one minute. (Back in a minute means one minute to be exact!)
Have a couple of minutes? Help us with your opinion. June 21, 2018. PDS, the managing partner of LINK-GIS, is conducting a Customer Satisfaction Survey.
Wireless internet works for a couple of minutes only, then "no internet connection". Hi,. I've been having a nightmare getting my wireless ...
Jul 11, 2022 ... This might take a couple of minutes. Installing react, react-dom, and react-scripts with cra-template... It just gets stuck here and nothing ...
USB Keyboard stops after a couple of minutes. Hi, so here how it goes. I have a lenovo v110-15IAP. I was using for a year a usb wireless ...

Alternatives:

a few minutes
a couple of minutes
a couple minutes
a couple minutes' time
a couple of minutes' time

a couple minutes

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

This phrase is used to refer to a small, indefinite number of minutes, usually around two or a few more. It is a casual expression often used in everyday conversation.

Examples:

I'll be back in a couple minutes.
It'll only take a couple minutes to get there.

Show examples from the web [+]

Nov 11, 2022 ... Muchi- a couple minutes.Song Produced + Engineered by MuchiVideo Directed, Edited, + Produced by MuchiSTREAM "a couple minutes.
Feb 18, 2020 ... But it can also be used as an adjective as in "a couple minutes". The adjectival use is informal, if not non-standard.
Jul 12, 2021 ... What can happen in only a couple minutes? More than you might think. From a routine moment to a life-changing event to a life-saving action, ...
Dec 8, 2022 ... Just a couple minutes of vigorous activity several times a day might lower one's risk of death. Short bursts of intense movement, ...
Nov 5, 2022 ... STREAM Muchi- "a couple minutes." ON ALL PLATFORMShttps://song.link/i/1646291875The majority of links referring to ...
Nov 6, 2022 ... Stream a couple minutes. by muchi on desktop and mobile. Play over 320 million tracks for free on SoundCloud.
Listen to a couple minutes. on Spotify. Muchi · Song · 2022.

Alternatives:

a few minutes
a couple of minutes
a couple of minutes' time
a couple minutes' time
a couple of minutes' time

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