Categories: Grammar

The Indefinite Pronouns in Russian Language

We’ve learned about negative pronouns in Russian Language, now let’s start learning about indefinite pronoun. Did you know the function of indefinite pronoun? Almost everyday we use this pronoun when we talk about something that is not specific. Indefinite pronouns in Russian Language are -то,-нибудь,-либо,-кое, некто, нечто, and некоторый, несколько, некий.

Indefinite pronouns in Russian Language

  • кто-то – somebody
  • что-то – something
  • кто-нибудь – anybody
  • что-нибудь – anything
  • кто-либо – anyone, anybody
  • что-либо – something
  • кое-кто – somebody, a few
  • кое-что – something, a litte
  • какой (-ая, -oе, -ие) -то/нибудь/-либо – some/a few
  • некто, нечто, and некоторый, несколько, некий

For example:

  • Кто-нибудь дома?
    (Kto-nibud’ doma?)
    Is anybody home?
  • Кто-то позвонил мне.
    (Kto-to pozvonil mne)
    Someone called me.

Declension of Indefinite Pronouns

You can see at the table below about declension of indefinite pronouns based on number and case:

-то, -нибудь, -либо and кое-

[table]

[tr][th]Nominative[/th] [th]кто (-то, -нибудь, -либо, кое-)[/th] [th]что(-то, -нибудь, -либо, кое-)[/th][/tr]

[tr][td]Genitive[/td] [td]кого (-то, -нибудь, -либо, кое-)[/td] [td]чего (-то, -нибудь, -либо, кое-)[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]Dative[/td] [td]кому (-то, -нибудь, -либо, кое-)[/td] [td]чему (-то, -нибудь, -либо, кое-) [/td][/tr]

[tr][td]Accusative[/td] [td]кого (-то, -нибудь, -либо, кое-) [/td] [td]что (-то, -нибудь, -либо, кое-) [/td][/tr]

[tr][td]Instrumental[/td] [td]кем(-то, -нибудь, -либо, кое-) [/td] [td]чём(-то, -нибудь, -либо, кое-)[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]Prepositional[/td] [td]ком (-то, -нибудь, -либо, кое-) [/td] [td]чём (-то, -нибудь, -либо, кое-) [/td][/tr]

[/table]

The indefinite pronoun with a particle то is use when the object is unknown for the speaker and listener. For example: 

  • Какой-то мужчина звонил вам.
    (Kakoy-to muzhchina pozvonil vam)
    Some man rang you.

The indefinite pronoun with a particle нибудь is often use in interrogative sentences (question)

  • Ты с кем-нибудь говорила о моей проблеме?
    (Ty s kem-nibud’ govorila o moyey probleme?)
    Did you talk to anyone about my problem?

The indefinite pronouns with particles нибудь  and -либо have the same meaning. But the difference, либо is more general or refer to any of unspecified objects.

  • говорить, кого-нибудь
    Govorit’, kogo-nibud’
    to talk someone/anyone
  • говорить, кого-либо.
    (Govorit’, kogo-libo)
    To talk someone/anyone (any people)

The indefinite pronoun Коекто is often refer to several or a few people.

  • в офисе кое-кто не пришел.
    (v ofise koye-kto ne prishel)
    At the meeting, some people didn’t come.

некий

[table]

[tr][th]Cell_Heading[/th] [th]Masculine[/th] [th]Feminine[/th] [th]Neutral[/th] [th]Plural[/th][/tr]

[tr][td]Nominative[/td] [td]некий[/td] [td]некая[/td] [td]некое[/td] [td]некие[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]Genitive[/td] [td]некоего[/td] [td]некой[/td] [td]некоего[/td] [td]неких[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]Dative[/td] [td]некоему[/td] [td]некой[/td] [td]некоему[/td] [td]неким[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]Accusative (Inanimate/animate)[/td] [td]некий/некоего[/td] [td]некую[/td] [td]некое[/td] [td]некие/неких[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]Instrumental[/td] [td]неким[/td] [td]некой[/td] [td]неким[/td] [td]некими[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]Prepositional[/td] [td]некоем[/td] [td]некой[/td] [td]некоем[/td] [td]неких[/td][/tr]

[/table]

Take a look at example below :

  • вас хранятся некие нужные мне письма.
    (vas khranyatsya nekiye nuzhnyye mne pis’ma)
    You have some letters I need.

Некто, нечто

Некто and нечто are not declined.

  • Тебе звонил некто по имени Олег.
    (Tebe zvonil nekto po imeni Oleg)
    Someone by the name of Oleg called you.
  • Она сказала мне нечто удивительное.
    (Ona skazala mne nechto udivitel’noye)
    She told me something awesome.
That is the explanation of indefinite pronouns. If you are still a beginner in Russian language, don’t forget to visit how to learn Russian for beginners easily. You can also learn conjugation and Russian cases, like dative, and preopositional here. Good luck!

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