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"Many" is an adjective which is often translated as "muchos", and "a lot of people" is a phrase which is often translated as "mucha gente". Learn more about the difference between "many" and "a lot of people" below.
many(
meh
-
ni
)An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., the big dog).
1. (numerous)
A pronoun is a word that stands in for a noun (e.g., she).
2. (numerous)
a lot of people(
uh
lat
uhv
pi
-
puhl
)A phrase is a group of words commonly used together (e.g., once upon a time).
1. (general)
a. mucha gente
There were a lot of people at the restaurant, so we decided to eat at home.Había mucha gente en el restaurante, por lo que decidimos comer en casa.
b. muchas personas
I didn't like the movie very much, but a lot of people thought it was very good.A mí no me gustó la película mucho, pero muchas personas pensaron que fue muy buena.