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• Indefinite pronouns can substitute nouns in a sentence.

• The indefinite pronouns ������ú�� and �Ծ��Բ�ú�� need to agree in gender (when possible) and in number with the noun they are substituting.

• Algo and alguien are not gender or number specific.

In Spanish, the indefinite pronouns are:

������ú�� - a/an/some/any

algo - something

�Ծ��Բ�ú�� - �Դ�/�Դdz�…a�Բ�

alguien - someone

Learn more about indefinite adjectives in Spanish in this guide.

As with adjectives, the indefinite pronouns ������ú�� and �Ծ��Բ�ú�� agree in gender (when possible) and in number with the noun they are substituting as follows:

Note that the accent is only used on ������ú�� and �Ծ��Բ�ú�� in the masculine singular form.

Algo and alguien do not change according to gender or number.

Indefinite pronouns are similar to indefinite adjectives and, most of the time, they look exactly the same. However, while an indefinite adjective will accompany and modify a noun, indefinite pronouns substitute nouns. This means they will not be modifying any noun nor will they be accompanying it. They function by themselves.

Algo is a pronoun that is not gender or number specific. Since algo refers to something unknown or unspecified, it will not agree with anything and so its ending will not change.

For example:

¿Quieres algo? - Do you want something?

Algo no va bien. - Something isn’t right.

Alguien is a pronoun that is not gender or number specific. Since alguien refers to someone unknown or unspecified, its ending will not change whether we know the number of people referred to or not.

For example:

Vi a alguien. - I saw someone.

Alguien está llamando a la puerta. - Someone is knocking on the door.

Alguno/alguna/algunos/algunas can be used to refer to people, things, animals, thoughts and ideas.

For example:

¿Te queda alguno? - Do you have any left?

Alguno/alguna/algunos/algunas must agree with in gender and in number with the noun they are substituting.

For example:

Necesito un bolígrafo. ¿Tienes alguno? - I need a pen. Do you have one?

Necessito una camisa blanca. ¿Me prestas alguna? - I need a red shirt. Can you lend me one?

Tengo muchos caramelos. ¿Quieres algunos? - I have a lot of sweets. Do you want any?

Quiero comprar unas manzanas, Tienes algunas? - I want to buy some apples. Do you have any?

Ninguno/nunguna/ningunos/ningunas can be used to refer to people, things, animals, thoughts and ideas in the negative, meaning no or none.

Negation rules apply so you also need to put no at the beginning of the sentence.

For example:

No queda ninguno. - There is none left.

You do not need no at the start of the sentence if the first word of the sentence is ninguno/nunguna/ningunos/ningunas.

For example:

Ninguna queda. - None is left.

Ninguno/nunguna/ningunos/ningunas must agree with in gender and in number with the noun they are substituting as follows:

Practise what you've learned about indefinite pronouns in Spanish with this quiz.

Now you have learned about indefinite pronouns in Spanish why not explore quantifiers and intensifiers?