Seven of us
Seven of us squashed into a car.

Does the phrase "seven of us" without "the" preceding it suggest that we were more than seven people? In other words, if we were just seven people, do I need to say "the seven of us"?

Question

Seven of us
Seven of us squashed into a car.

Does the phrase "seven of us" without "the" preceding it suggest that we were more than seven people?  In other words, if we were just seven people, do I need to say "the seven of us"?

Answer

It means exactly seven.
There is no "the" because it is mentioned for the first time.