Key points about indefinite pronouns
Indefinite pronouns refer to people in a general way without being specific about whom is being referred to.
The indefinite pronouns jemandsomeone and niemandno one have a fixed masculine All nouns can be masculine, feminine or neuter..
The spelling changes depending on Cases show nouns function in a sentence and relate to other words. They indicate who is doing an action, who owns something, and who is affected by an action..
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Using indefinite pronouns in German
The indefinite pronouns jemandsomeone and niemandno one refer to people in a general, non-specific way.
Indefinite pronouns have a fixed masculine gender. They are not affected by Number refers to whether a noun is singular or plural. but they are determined by case.
| nominative | accusative | dative |
|---|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. |
Nominative case
jemand and niemand are the The subject is the person performing the action eg I, you, he, we. of the sentence:
Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - Someone never separates the rubbish.
Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - No one goes into town when it’s raining.
Accusative
jemanden and niemanden are the Refers to the noun receiving the action eg I eat an apple. The apple is receiving the action ‘eat’. in the sentence or are determined by an accusative Is a word such as 'at', 'for', 'with', 'into' or 'from' which is usually followed by a noun or pronoun. They are used to show where something is in place or time.:
Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - I saw someone in the park.
Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - I know no one here.
Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - I have a present for someone.
Dative
jemandem and niemandem are the Refers to the noun benefiting from the action eg She gives her friend a present. ‘Her friend’ is benefiting from being given ‘the present’. in the sentence or are determined by a dative preposition or dative A verb is a doing word.:
Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - She gives someone a present.
Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - I am speaking/I speak to someone from my class.
Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - I helped no one.
Activity
Select the indefinite pronoun to complete the sentence.
Mini quiz
Translate the sentences into German.
- Someone is listening to loud music.
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- He saw no one in the park.
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Quiz
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