Indefinite pronouns in German are words that refer to people, things, or ideas in a non-specific or indefinite manner. These pronouns are used to avoid repetition, to talk about unknown or unspecified entities, or to make general statements. In this article, we will discuss the different German indefinite pronouns and their meanings, and provide example sentences to illustrate their usage.
Jemand: Someone
The German indefinite pronoun jemand means someone or somebody. It is used to refer to an unknown or unspecified person in a sentence. Jemand is always singular and does not change its form for gender or case.
Example sentences:
Kannst du jemanden finden, der mir helfen kann? (Can you find someone who can help me?)
Jemand hat mein Handy gestohlen. (Someone stole my phone.)
Niemand: No one
The German indefinite pronoun niemand means no one or nobody. It is used to refer to the absence of a person in a sentence. Like jemand, niemand is always singular and does not change its form for gender or case.
Example sentences:
Niemand hat geantwortet, als ich gefragt habe. (No one answered when I asked.)
Ich kenne niemanden, der so viel reist wie du. (I don’t know anyone who travels as much as you.)
Alle: All/Everyone
The German indefinite pronoun alle means all or everyone. It is used to refer to a group of people or things in a sentence. Alle is always plural and does not change its form for gender or case.
Example sentences:
Alle haben Spaß auf der Party. (Everyone is having fun at the party.)
Ich habe alle Bücher gelesen, die du mir empfohlen hast. (I’ve read all the books you recommended to me.)
Alles: Everything
The German indefinite pronoun alles means everything. It is used to refer to all things in a sentence. Alles is always singular and does not change its form for gender or case.
Example sentences:
Alles, was ich will, ist ein ruhiges Wochenende zu Hause. (All I want is a quiet weekend at home.)
Hast du alles gepackt? (Did you pack everything?)
Etwas: Something
The German indefinite pronoun etwas means something. It is used to refer to an unspecified thing in a sentence. Etwas is always singular and does not change its form for gender or case.
Example sentences:
Kannst du mir bitte etwas Wasser geben? (Can you please give me something to drink?)
Ich habe etwas Schönes für dich gekauft. (I bought something nice for you.)
Nichts: Nothing
The German indefinite pronoun nichts means nothing. It is used to refer to the absence of something in a sentence. Nichts is always singular and does not change its form for gender or case.
Example sentences:
Ich habe nichts gegen Vegetarier, aber ich esse gerne Fleisch. (I have nothing against vegetarians, but I like to eat meat.)
Ich habe nichts Wichtiges zu sagen. (I have nothing important to say.)
Jeder: Each/Everyone
The German indefinite pronoun jeder means each or everyone. It is used to refer to every member of a group in a sentence. Jeder is always singular and changes its form for gender and case.
Example sentences:
Jeder Student muss eine Hausarbeit schreiben. (Each student has to write a paper.)
Jede Frau soll selbst entscheiden können, was sie mit ihrem Körper macht. (Every woman should be able to decide for herself what she does with her body.)
Keiner: None/Nobody
The German indefinite pronoun keiner means none or nobody. It is used to refer to the absence of someone or something in a sentence. Like jeder, keiner is always singular and changes its form for gender and case.
Example sentences:
Keiner von uns hat Erfahrung in der Programmierung. (None of us have experience in programming.)
Ich kenne keinen, der so gut singen kann wie du. (I don’t know anyone who can sing as well as you.)
Mancher: Some
The German indefinite pronoun mancher means some. It is used to refer to an unspecified number of people or things in a sentence. Mancher is always singular and changes its form for gender and case.
Example sentences:
Mancher mag es, im Regen spazieren zu gehen. (Some people like to go for a walk in the rain.)
Manche Bücher sind schwer zu verstehen. (Some books are difficult to understand.)
Mehrere: Several
The German indefinite pronoun mehrere means several. It is used to refer to an unspecified number of people or things that are more than two in a sentence. Mehrere is always plural and does not change its form for gender or case.
Example sentences:
Mehrere meiner Freunde studieren Psychologie. (Several of my friends are studying psychology.)
Wir haben mehrere Möglichkeiten, wie wir unser Projekt umsetzen können. (We have several options on how to implement our project.)
Irgendeiner: Some/Any
The German indefinite pronoun irgendwer means some or any. It is used to refer to an unspecified person or people in a sentence. Irgendeiner is always singular and does not change its form for gender or case.
Example sentences:
Kann mir irgendjemand sagen, wie spät es ist? (Can anyone tell me what time it is?)
Irgendeiner muss das Problem lösen. (Someone has to solve the problem.)
Irgendjemand: Somebody/Anybody
The German indefinite pronoun irgendjemand means somebody or anybody. It is used to refer to an unspecified person in a sentence. Irgendjemand is always singular and does not change its form for gender or case.
Example sentences:
Irgendjemand hat das Fenster offen gelassen. (Somebody left the window open.)
Kann mir irgendjemand bei meinem Mathe-Problem helfen? (Can anybody help me with my math problem?)
Irgendetwas: Something/Anything
The German indefinite pronoun irgendetwas means something or anything. It is used to refer to an unspecified thing in a sentence. Irgendetwas is always singular and does not change its form for gender or case.
Example sentences:
Ich möchte irgendetwas Süßes zum Nachtisch. (I want something sweet for dessert.)
Hast du irgendetwas Interessantes zu erzählen? (Do you have anything interesting to tell?)
Irgendwas: Something/Anything
The German indefinite pronoun irgendwas means something or anything. It is used to refer to an unspecified thing in a sentence. Irgendwas is always singular and does not change its form for gender or case.
Example sentences:
Irgendwas stimmt mit meinem Auto nicht. (Something is wrong with my car.)
Kannst du mir irgendwas zu trinken anbieten? (Can you offer me something to drink?)
Irgendwelche: Some/Any
The German indefinite pronoun irgend welche means some or any. It is used to refer to an unspecified number of people or things in a sentence. Irgendwelche is always plural and does not change its form for gender or case.
Example sentences:
Hast du irgendwelche Pläne für das Wochenende? (Do you have any plans for the weekend?)
Ich brauche irgendwelche Informationen über das Thema. (I need some information on the topic.)
Irgendwann: Sometime
The German indefinite pronoun irgendwann means sometime. It is used to refer to an unspecified time in the future or past in a sentence. Irgendwann is always singular and does not change its form for gender or case.
Example sentences:
Ich werde irgendwann nach Spanien reisen. (I will travel to Spain sometime.)
Irgendwann hast du bestimmt genug Erfahrung, um erfolgreich zu sein. (Sometime you will have enough experience to be successful.)
Irgendwo: Somewhere/Anywhere
The German indefinite pronoun irgendwo means somewhere or anywhere. It is used to refer to an unspecified place in a sentence. Irgendwo is always singular and does not change its form for gender or case.
Example sentences:
Ich habe meinen Schlüssel irgendwo verloren. (I lost my key somewhere.)
Kannst du mir irgendwo empfehlen, wo ich essen gehen kann? (Can you recommend me somewhere I can go eat?)
Irgendwie: Somehow
The German indefinite pronoun irgendwie means somehow. It is used to refer to an unspecified way or manner in a sentence. Irgendwie is always singular and does not change its form for gender or case.
Example sentences:
Ich muss irgendwie meine Arbeitsbelastung reduzieren. (I have to reduce my workload somehow.)
Das Buch ist irgendwie komisch geschrieben. (The book is written somehow strangely.)
Conclusion
Indefinite pronouns are an important part of the German language and are used to refer to unspecified people, things, places, or ways in a sentence. It is essential to understand the meaning and usage of each indefinite pronoun in order to use them correctly. As a beginner, it is crucial to start with the basics, such as the examples mentioned above, and gradually learn more complex sentences as you progress. With practice, you will become more confident in using German indefinite pronouns and improve your overall language skills.
Originally posted 2023-07-17 14:29:36.