Indefinite Pronouns in German

This section explains Indefinite Pronouns in German and includes foundation and higher tier examples.

Introduction to Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite pronouns in German are used to refer to people, things, or amounts in a non-specific way. These pronouns do not refer to a particular object or person, making them different from definite pronouns (e.g. "der," "die," "das").

In English, indefinite pronouns include words such as someone, anyone, no one, everybody, something, anything, and nothing. In German, these pronouns function similarly, but there are a few specific rules for their use.

Key Indefinite Pronouns in German:

Examples of Indefinite Pronouns

Foundation Tier Examples:

• Jemand hat mir geholfen.
  (Someone helped me.)
• Niemand wusste, wo er war.
  (No one knew where he was.)
• Alle sind hier.
  (Everyone is here.)
• Nichts kann ihn stoppen.
  (Nothing can stop him.)

Higher Tier Examples:

• Keiner von uns hat das erwartet.
  (None of us expected that.)
• Etwas in dieser Stadt ist sehr seltsam.
  (Something in this city is very strange.)
• Man sollte nie aufgeben.
  (One should never give up.)
• Alles was er sagte, war richtig.
  (Everything he said was right.)

Indefinite Pronouns with Negation

Indefinite pronouns can also be used in negative sentences to imply a lack or absence of something.

• Niemand hat mir geholfen.
  (No one helped me.)
• Nichts ist passiert.
  (Nothing happened.)
• Keiner hat das Buch gelesen.
  (No one read the book.)
• Etwas fehlt.
  (Something is missing.)

Indefinite Pronouns and Cases

Indefinite pronouns, like other pronouns in German, change depending on the case they are used in: nominative, accusative, or dative.

Nominative Case (Subject of the Sentence):

• Jemand klopft an die Tür.
  (Someone is knocking at the door.)
• Etwas ist nicht in Ordnung.
  (Something is wrong.)

Accusative Case (Direct Object):

• Ich habe niemanden gesehen.
  (I saw no one.)
• Er sucht etwas im Zimmer.
  (He is looking for something in the room.)

Dative Case (Indirect Object):

• Ich habe jemandem geholfen.
  (I helped someone.)
• Er spricht mit niemandem.
  (He is talking to no one.)

Common Phrases with Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite pronouns are often used in common expressions and set phrases. These are frequently used in both spoken and written German.

• Jeder für sich – Each for themselves.
• Es gibt immer noch – There is still (something).
• Wer weiß? – Who knows?
• **Es tut mir leid, aber nichts hilft.
  (I’m sorry, but nothing helps.)
• **Er wollte alles kaufen.
  (He wanted to buy everything.)

Key Vocabulary:

• das Pronomen = the pronoun
• jemand = someone
• niemand = no one, nobody
• alle = everyone, all
• etwas = something, anything
• nichts = nothing
• alles = everything
• viel = much, a lot
• wenig = little, few
• man = one (people in general)

Summary

• Indefinite pronouns are used to refer to things or people in a non-specific way, such as "someone," "nothing," or "everyone."
• Some common indefinite pronouns in German are jemand, niemand, alle, nichts, etwas, and alles.
• These pronouns decline depending on the case (nominative, accusative, or dative) and are often used in both affirmative and negative sentences.
• They can be used to express general ideas or quantities and are important for conveying information about non-specific objects or people in German.

By mastering these indefinite pronouns, you can sound more natural and fluent in both written and spoken German.