The phrase “couple of years” generally refers to a time span of approximately two years. It is often used informally to indicate a duration that is not strictly defined but suggests a range around the two-year mark. While it typically means two years, in some contexts, it may be understood to include a little more or less than that, depending on the speaker’s intent. For example, someone might say they have lived in a city for a couple of years, meaning they have been there for roughly two years, but it could imply anywhere from about one and a half to three years.