Someone, no one, something, nothing in Italian
In Italian, to talk about an indefinite person or thing, we use indefinite pronouns.
Some of the most commonly used are qualcuno (some, someone), qualcosa (something), Nessuno (no one), and niente (nothing).
These pronouns loosely indicate the number of the thing or the identity of the person we are talking about.
C’è qualcuno alla porta.
There is someone at the door.
C’è qualcosa che non va.
Something is not right.
In the examples given above, we know that there is someone at the door, but we do not know who, and we know there is something that isn’t right but does not know or want to tell what.
Qualcuno, qualcosa, nessuno, niente: Rules
Qualcuno
Qualcuno can indicate an undefined quantity of things or people. It has a feminine form, qualcuna, and it is always singular.
Ho comprato tantissime pesche, prendine qualcuna.
I bought a lot of peaches, take some.
Qualcuno can also indicate one unspecified person. In this case, it is always masculine.
C’è qualcuno alla porta.
There is someone at the door.
Qualcosa
Qualcosa or qualche cosa is used to talk about one or more things. It is always singular and goes with masculine adjectives.
C’è qualcosa di strano.
There is something strange.
Nessuno
Nessuno refers to nothing or no one. It has a feminine form, nessuna, and it is always singular.
Non c’era nessuno al cinema.
There was no one at the cinema.
Non ho nessuna maglietta rossa.
I have no red t-shirts.
Niente
Niente and nulla are synonyms, and they mean “nothing”. They both only have a singular form and go with the masculine form.
Oggi non c’era niente di buono da mangiare a scuola.
Today there was nothing good to eat at school.
Nulla, when used in a question, means “something/anything”.
Hai saputo nulla?
Have you heard anything?
Indefinite pronouns: More examples
There are many more indefinite pronouns and adjectives in Italian, here are some more that you could find useful:
Alcuni / alcune
Alcuni / alcune (some): This only exists in the plural, both masculine and feminine.
Alcuni studenti / Alcune studentesse non hanno passato l’esame.
Some students did not pass the exam.
Chiunque
Chiunque (anyone) only refers to people. It only has a singular form.
Se non chiudi, potrà entrare chiunque.
If you do not lock, anyone will be able to enter.
Ognuno
Ognuno / ognuna (Every one / Each one). This has a feminine form and only exists in the singular form.
Ognuno di noi ha il diritto di esprimere le proprie opinioni.
Every one of us has the right to express our opinion.
What to remember?
If you’re trying to learn Italian, it can be helpful to know how to talk about an indefinite person or thing using indefinite pronouns.
Some of the most commonly used are qualcuno (some, someone), qualcosa (something), nessuno (no one), and niente (nothing).
These words indicate the number of things or the identity of the person being discussed, so it’s important to use them correctly.
There are also many other indefinite pronouns and adjectives in Italian.
For example, alcuni/alcune (some) is only plural, both masculine and feminine, while chiunque (anyone) only refers to people in its singular form.
Other examples include ognuno/ognuna (everyone/each one).
We hope this helps you understand indefinite pronouns in Italian better.
Buona fortuna!
2 Responses
Can the word “nulla” also be used interchangeably with “niente” in statements, or is it primarily used in questions to mean “something/anything”?
Ciao Anna! Great question. Yes, “nulla” and “niente” are indeed synonyms and both mean “nothing”. However, “nulla” can also mean “something/anything” when used in a question, as in “Hai saputo nulla?” which translates to “Have you heard anything?”. So, while they can often be used interchangeably, context is key. For instance, you wouldn’t use “nulla” in a statement like “Non ho niente da dire” (I have nothing to say). Instead, “niente” is the appropriate choice here. Italian can be a bit tricky, right? But don’t worry, you’re doing great! Keep those questions coming, I’m here to help. Buona fortuna con il tuo studio dell’italiano!