"Einzelne Medikamente sind gratis."

Translation: Several drugs are free.

[VaterGut]

i wrote, 'individual medications....' and it was accepted. However, whilst one contains the other, they can hardly be said to be synonymous.... Would someone mind clarifying this, i.e. what is really being said here? Thanks

[olimo]

I understand that there are a lot of drugs, most of them are paid, but some individual ones are free. If I understand the German word right, I'd say it's fine to translate the sentence with "some medications", "several medications", "certain medications", "individual medications" and so on.

[helenvee]

I'm confused too. "Several" and "individual" have widely different meanings in English.

[PREdad]

The online dictionary I refer to has only the sense of individual or single. For "several" you would use "einige", among other options. http://dict.tu-chemnitz.de/

[Cello66]

As perplexed as you all are too. How can "individual" remotely be deemed synonymous with "several"? I know, they cannot.

[jaye16]

Perhaps it's something like 'various medications' "Individual..." was accepted.

[nateVONgreat]

what is the difference between "gratis" and "kostenloss"?

[Levi]

@nateVONgreat : They mean absolutely the same to me, i.e. it does not cost money (free; free of charge; without cost). kostenlos on PONS: http://goo.gl/f1YhNM