How To Use 13 Spanish Indefinite Pronouns For People And Things (Examples)
Spanish is a beautiful language. It’s not too difficult to admit it 🙂
But it can also be challenging to learn all of its components – components like eg. the Spanish indefinite pronouns.
Effortless Answers
Spanish indefinite pronouns are words that substitute nouns without specifying a particular person or thing:
1. algo (something)
2. nada (nothing)
3. algo más (something else)
4. todo (everything)
5. cualquiera (anyone/anything)
6. alguien (something)
7. nadie (no one)
8. quienquiera (whoever)
9. uno (one, as in “one person”)
10. ninguno (none, not any)
11. varios (several)
12. otro (another, other)
13. unos/unas (some)
These powerful little words can do a lot of things: replace nouns, making your speech and writing more concise and natural. Spanish Gitana made a short, yet powerful lesson on indefinite pronouns in Spanish:
And in this ultimate guide we will uncover every aspect of Spanish indefinite pronouns.
1. What are Spanish indefinite pronouns?
Spanish indefinite pronouns refer to something unspecified, non-specific, or general.
Unlike Spanish definite articles like “el” or “la,” which refer to specific nouns, indefinite pronouns leave the noun unspecified.
They are often used when the speaker or writer doesn’t need to or doesn’t want to identify the noun explicitly. So, instead of saying “¿Tienes los libros?” (Do you have the books?), you could say “¿Tienes algunos?” (Do you have some?), using the indefinite pronoun “algunos” to talk about an unspecified number of books.
Honestly, it’s a bit more complex than this, but these are the basics. Let’s go deeper to understand them!
2. Types of indefinite pronouns in Spanish
Spanish indefinite pronouns can be categorized based on whether they can be used for people, things, or both.
Here are the main types:
Spanish indefinite pronouns for people and things
- algo (something)
- nada (nothing)
- algo más (something else)
- todo (everything)
- cualquiera (anyone/anything)
Spanish indefinite pronouns for people
- alguien (someone)
- nadie (no one)
- quienquiera (whoever)
- uno (one, as in “one person”)
Spanish indefinite pronouns for things
- ninguno (none, not any)
- varios (several)
- otro (another, other)
- unos/unas (some)
It’s useful to understand these categories because you use them based on what you’re referring to.
Using the wrong pronoun can change the meaning of your Spanish sentence or make it grammatically incorrect – the latter isn’t that big of an issue, but still, it’s good to avoid misunderstandings.
3. How to use indefinite pronouns for people & things in real-life examples
The following table lists the Spanish indefinite pronouns that can be used for both people and things:
| Spanish Indefinite Pronoun | English Translation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| algo | something | Necesito algo para comer. (I need something to eat.) |
| nada | nothing | No hay nada en la nevera. (There is nothing in the fridge.) |
| algo más | something else | ¿Quieres algo más de postre? (Do you want something else for dessert?) |
| todo | everything | Quiero saber todo sobre el proyecto. (I want to know everything about the project.) |
| cualquiera | anyone/anything | Cualquiera puede participar en el concurso. (Anyone can participate in the contest.) |
These indefinite pronouns are versatile. You can use them in different contexts if you’re referring to beverages, books or people.
Here’s a short conversation where these pronouns are used for both people and things:
Ana: “¿Hay algo que necesites?” (Is there something you need?)
Bianca: “No, nada en particular.” (No, nothing in particular.)
Ana: “Bueno, si necesitas algo más, avísame.” (Well, if you need something else, let me know.)
Bianca: “Gracias, lo haré. Por cierto, ¿has visto a cualquiera de mis amigos?” (Thanks, I will. By the way, have you seen any of my friends?)
Ana: “No, no he visto a nadie hoy.” (No, I haven’t seen anyone today.)
As you can see, these Spanish indefinite pronouns can refer to both people (cualquiera referring to friends) and things (algo and nada referring to objects or concepts).
4. How to learn and use Spanish indefinite pronouns ONLY for people
The next table lists the Spanish indefinite pronouns that can be used only for people:
| Spanish Indefinite Pronoun | English Translation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| alguien | someone | ¿Hay alguien en casa? (Is there someone at home?) |
| nadie | no one | Nadie sabe la respuesta. (No one knows the answer.) |
| quienquiera | whoever | Quienquiera puede unirse a nosotros. (Whoever wants can join us.) |
| uno | one (person) | Uno nunca sabe lo que va a pasar. (One never knows what will happen.) |
These indefinite pronouns are specifically used to refer to people or groups of people.
They cannot be used to refer to things or objects. For example, you would never say “Hay alguien en la mesa” (There is someone on the table) because “alguien” refers to a person, not an object.
Now let’s read this conversation:
Anastasia: “¿Has visto a alguien en la oficina?” (Have you seen anyone in the office?)
Jorque: “No, no he visto a nadie.” (No, I haven’t seen anyone.)
Anastasia: “Bueno, quienquiera que sea, espero que llegue pronto.” (Well, whoever it is, I hope they arrive soon.)
Jorque: “Sí, necesitamos a uno más para terminar el proyecto.” (Yes, we need one more person to finish the project.)
The pronouns here are specifically used to refer to people. It’s made clear that the subject being discussed is a person, or a group of people.
5. How to use Spanish indefinite pronouns ONLY for things in real Spanish sentences
The following table is all about the Spanish indefinite pronouns that are used only for things:
| Spanish Indefinite Pronoun | English Translation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ninguno | none, not any | No tengo ninguno de los libros. (I don’t have any of the books.) |
| varios | several | He visto varios lugares interesantes. (I have seen several interesting places.) |
| otro | another, other | Quiero otro café, por favor. (I want another coffee, please.) |
| unos/unas | some | Hay unas flores en la mesa. (There are some flowers on the table.) |
These indefinite pronouns are specifically used to refer to things or objects, not people. Using them to refer to people would be grammatically incorrect and, although natives would understand, could lead to confusion or misunderstanding.
In a real-life scenario, it would look like this:
Ainoa: “¿Tienes algunos libros para prestarme?” (Do you have some books to lend me?)
Ariadna: “Sí, tengo varios. ¿Quieres otro libro además de los que ya tienes?” (Yes, I have several. Do you want another book besides the ones you already have?)
Ainoa: “No, gracias. No necesito ninguno más por ahora.” (No, thanks. I don’t need any more for now.)
In this conversation, the pronouns varios, otro, and ninguno are used to refer to books, which are things or objects, not people.
6. Practice Spanish indefinite pronouns with flashcards
Fill in the blanks with the appropriate Spanish indefinite pronoun:
This is just part of the exercise we have for this grammar topic with chunks. If you want to practice more, you should click this button below!
7. Alguien, nada, nadie, otro – learn indefinite pronouns with Conversation Based Chunking
Immersing yourself in Spanish audio materials or Spanish TV shows on Netflix is an excellent way to learn indefinite pronouns.
Listen for common chunks or phrases that incorporate these pronouns, such as “¿Tienes algo?” (Do you have something?) or “No conozco a nadie” (I don’t know anyone).
As you repeatedly run into these expressions in context, your ear will become used to how indefinite pronouns are naturally used.
Actively focusing on these high-frequency chunks will help you recognize patterns, and using the Conversation Based Chunking method, you’ll use them yourself in no time!
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