• Some and any
• No
• Compound words (palabras compuestas)
  • With -thing (para cosas)
  • With -one / -body (para personas)
  • With -where (para lugares)
• Examples (ejemplos)
• Conversation

Some and any

Some [sʌm] and any ['ɛni] both mean an indefinite amount. In general, we use some in affirmative sentences and any in negative sentences and questions.

🔹 Some [sʌm] y any ['ɛni] significan una cantidad indefinida. En general, usamos some en oraciones afirmativas y any en oraciones negativas e interrogativas.

I have some books. (Tengo algunos libros).

I don't have any books. (No tengo ningún libro).

Do you have any questions? (¿Tienes alguna pregunta?)

We can also use some in questions when offering or requesting: Would you like some coffee? Can I have some water?

🔹 También podemos usar some en preguntas cuando ofrecemos o pedimos algo: Would you like some coffee? Can I have some water?

No

No can be used as a determiner before a noun. It is equivalent to not any:

🔹 No puede usarse como determinante antes de un sustantivo. Equivale a not any:

I have no money. = I don't have any money. (No tengo dinero).

There are no chairs. = There aren't any chairs. (No hay sillas).

When we use no before a noun, the verb stays affirmative: I have no money, not I don't have no money.

🔹 Cuando usamos no antes de un sustantivo, el verbo es afirmativo: I have no money, no I don't have no money.

Compound words (palabras compuestas)

We can combine some, any, no, and every with -thing, -one/-body, and -where to create useful compound words:

🔹 Podemos combinar some, any, no y every con -thing, -one/-body y -where para crear palabras compuestas muy útiles:

With -thing (para cosas)

something ['sʌmθɪŋ] - algo

anything ['ɛniθɪŋ] - algo (en preguntas) / nada (en oraciones negativas)

nothing ['nʌθɪŋ] - nada

everything ['ɛvriθɪŋ] - todo

With -one / -body (para personas)

someone ['sʌmwʌn] / somebody ['sʌmbədi] - alguien

anyone ['ɛniwʌn] / anybody ['ɛnibədi] - alguien (en preguntas) / nadie (en oraciones negativas)

no one ['noʊ wʌn] / nobody ['noʊbədi] - nadie

everyone ['ɛvriwʌn] / everybody ['ɛvribədi] - todos / todo el mundo

With -where (para lugares)

somewhere ['sʌmwɛr] - en algún lugar

anywhere ['ɛniwɛr] - en algún lugar (en preguntas) / en ningún lugar (en oraciones negativas)

nowhere ['noʊwɛr] - en ningún lugar

everywhere ['ɛvriwɛr] - en todas partes

Examples (ejemplos)

Someone is at the door. (Alguien está en la puerta).

I don't know anyone here. (No conozco a nadie aquí).

Nobody called me yesterday. (Nadie me llamó ayer).

Is there anything in the box? (¿Hay algo en la caja?)

There is nothing in the box. (No hay nada en la caja).

I looked for my keys everywhere. (Busqué mis llaves en todas partes).

When we use nothing, nobody, or nowhere, the verb stays affirmative. In Spanish, when nada, nadie, etc. come after the verb, a double negative is mandatory: No tengo nada. No conozco a nadie. In English, we cannot use double negatives.

🔹 Cuando usamos nothing, nobody o nowhere, el verbo es afirmativo. En español, cuando nada, nadie, etc. van después del verbo, la doble negación es obligatoria: No tengo nada. No conozco a nadie. En inglés no podemos usar doble negación.

✔ I have nothing.
✔ I don't have anything.
✗ I don't have nothing.

✔ I know nobody.
✔ I don't know anybody.
✗ I don't know nobody.

Conversation

Ana: Did you do anything interesting last weekend?

David: Yes! I went somewhere new, a small town near the mountains. Everything was very quiet and peaceful ['pi:sfəl] (tranquilo).

A: Did you go with someone?

D: No, I went alone [ə'loʊn] (solo). Nobody wanted to come with me. But it was OK. I met some nice people at the hotel.

A: Did you buy anything?

D: I bought something for my sister, a beautiful painting. But I couldn't find anything for my brother. There was nothing he would like in the shops.

A: Is there anything you want to do next weekend?

D: I want to go somewhere warm. I don't want to do anything too active [æktɪv] (activo). I just want to relax.