mindestens or wenigstens?
b1Both translate as 'at least', but only one of them counts. mindestens states a lower limit you could check - a number, an amount, a duration. wenigstens does no arithmetic; it consoles, pointing out that at least this one thing is fine even if the rest is not.
mindestens
A numerical lower limit. Almost always stands directly before a number or an amount.
Der Kurs dauert mindestens drei Monate.The course lasts at least three months.
wenigstens
A consolation or concession: 'at any rate'. Needs no number, often paired with doch or ja.
Das Wetter war schlecht, aber wenigstens hat es nicht geregnet.The weather was bad, but at least it did not rain.
The mistake
Du musst wenigstens zwei Jahre warten.
Du musst mindestens zwei Jahre warten.
This is a lower limit you can check, so it has to be mindestens. With wenigstens the sentence sounds like consolation, as though two years were pleasingly little.
Rule of thumb
If a number follows, it is mindestens. If the sentence consoles, it is wenigstens.
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