Translation guide
In Japanese, expressing 'several people' depends on the level of formality and whether you are counting people or referring to them in a group. The most common and neutral way is to use 数人 (すうにん). For casual speech, 何人か (なんにんか) is natural. In formal or written contexts, 数名 (すうめい) is preferred. Note that Japanese often omits the counter for people when the context is clear, but including it adds precision.
Express 'several people' in a neutral, everyday context, suitable for both spoken and written Japanese.
The most standard and neutral way to say 'several people'. It can be used in most situations, from casual conversation to formal writing.
Several people had gathered.
Several friends are planning to come.
A very common and casual way to say 'several people' or 'a few people'. It literally means 'some number of people' and is used frequently in spoken Japanese.
Several people raised their hands.
There were several people I knew at the party.
A more formal version of 数人, often used in written language, news reports, or official contexts. It uses the formal counter 名 (めい) for people.
Several employees were commended.
Express 'several people' in very casual conversation, often implying a small, indefinite number.
Express 'several people' in formal writing, business contexts, or news reports.
The standard formal choice. It uses the respectful counter 名 and is appropriate for official documents, reports, and polite speech.
Several experts attended the meeting.
We received opinions from several people.
Acceptable in formal contexts, but slightly less formal than 数名. It is still widely used in newspapers and reports.
Emphasize that the number of people is small, like 'only a few people' or 'just several'.
Using しか with a negative verb emphasizes that there were only a few people. It conveys a sense of limitation or scarcity.
Only several people came to the party.
Adding ほんの (mere, just) before 数人 emphasizes the smallness of the number. It sounds a bit more expressive.
Only a mere handful of people know the secret.
数人 (すうにん) is the most neutral and can be used in almost any situation. 何人か (なんにんか) is more casual and conversational, often implying an unspecified small number. 数名 (すうめい) is formal and typically used in writing or polite speech. For everyday conversation, 何人か is often the most natural choice, while 数人 is safe for both casual and formal settings.
He said several people are coming. (casual)
Several guests have arrived. (very formal)
In Japanese, when the context is clear, you can often omit the specific counter for people and just use a generic expression like 何人か or even いくつか (for things). However, using 人 (にん) or 名 (めい) makes it explicit that you are talking about people, which is usually preferred for clarity.
We played a game with several people.
Several people were injured in the accident.