How to Select Multiple Columns in pandas DataFrame

To select multiple columns in pandas, use df[["col1", "col2"]] where df is your DataFrame and the list contains the column names you want. This returns a new DataFrame with only those columns.

Syntax

Use df[["col1", "col2", ...]] to select multiple columns from a pandas DataFrame.

• df: your DataFrame variable
• ["col1", "col2", ...]: a list of column names you want to select
• The result is a new DataFrame with only the selected columns

python

df[["column1", "column2"]]

Example

This example shows how to create a DataFrame and select two columns from it.

python

import pandas as pd

data = {
    "Name": ["Alice", "Bob", "Charlie"],
    "Age": [25, 30, 35],
    "City": ["New York", "Los Angeles", "Chicago"]
}

df = pd.DataFrame(data)

selected_columns = df[["Name", "City"]]
print(selected_columns)

Output

      Name         City
0    Alice     New York
1      Bob  Los Angeles
2  Charlie      Chicago

Common Pitfalls

One common mistake is using single brackets df["col1", "col2"] which causes an error because pandas expects a single column name or a list inside double brackets.

Another mistake is passing column names that do not exist in the DataFrame, which raises a KeyError.

python

import pandas as pd

data = {"A": [1, 2], "B": [3, 4]}
df = pd.DataFrame(data)

# Wrong way - single brackets with multiple columns (raises error)
# df[["A", "B"]]

# Right way - double brackets with list
selected = df[["A", "B"]]
print(selected)

Output

   A  B
0  1  3
1  2  4

Quick Reference

Remember these tips when selecting multiple columns:

• Use double brackets df[[...]] with a list of column names.
• Column names must be exact and exist in the DataFrame.
• The result is always a DataFrame, not a Series.

Key Takeaways

Use double brackets with a list of column names to select multiple columns.

Passing non-existent column names causes a KeyError.

Single brackets with multiple columns is invalid syntax.

The output is a DataFrame containing only the selected columns.

Always check column names for typos before selecting.