The indefinite pronouns "some" and "any"

The words "some" and "any" are generally used when you speak about an indefinite quantity of something. That means that you don't exactly know or define the quantity of something.
They always describe a noun and stand in front of it. You can use them with countable and uncountable nouns.
"Some" and "any" basically have the same meaning, but we use them in different ways. Look at the following examples:
  • I need some days off work, I'm sick.
  • He's just meeting some friends of his.
  • They are buying some new clothes for the kids.
  • She is at the store to get some food.
As you can see, you usually use "some" in positive statements. Also, you use "some" in questions that are a polite request or an offer to someone:
  • Can I have some water?
  • Could you lend me some money?
  • How about some coffee?
  • Do you want some biscuits?
You usually use the word "any" in negative statements:
  • We haven't got any bread at home.
  • There aren't any new messages on the answering machine.
  • She didn't have any news.
  • I don't have any money at the moment.
In these cases, you deny or doubt the existence of the things you talk about. If it doesn't matter, which option one chooses from a range of possibilities, you also use "any":
  • You can come over any day, I am at home all week.
  • Any bus takes you to the theatre from here.
  • I like any kind of music.
In addition, you use "any" in most questions that are not a polite request or an offer:
  • Can you give me any news on the elections?
  • Do you have any idea what's going on?
  • Are there any playgrounds around your neighbourhood?
Practise the use of some and any. Read the sentences below and select the right word.

Die Indefinitpronomen "some" und "any"

Die Wörter "some" und "any" werden gewöhnlich verwendet, wenn man über eine unbestimmte Menge von etwas spricht. Das bedeutet, dass du die Menge von etwas nicht genau weißt oder definierst.
Sie beschreiben immer ein Nomen und stehen davor. Du kannst sie mit zählbaren und unzählbaren Nomen verwenden.
"Some" und "any" haben grundsätzlich die gleiche Bedeutung, aber wir benutzen sie in unterschiedlicher Art und Weise. Schau dir die folgenden Beispiele an:
  • I need some days off work, I'm sick.
  • He's just meeting some friends of his.
  • They are buying some new clothes for the kids.
  • She is at the store to get some food.
Wie du sehen kannst, verwendest du "some" normalerweise in bejahten Aussagen. Außerdem benutzt du "some" in Fragen, die eine höfliche Anfrage oder ein Angebot sind:
  • Can I have some water?
  • Could you lend me some money?
  • How about some coffee?
  • Do you want some biscuits?
Du verwendest "any" gewöhnlich in verneinten Aussagen:
  • We haven't got any bread at home.
  • There aren't any new messages on the answering machine.
  • She didn't have any news.
  • I don't have any money at the moment.
In diesen Fällen leugnest oder bezweifelst du die Existenz der Dinge, über die du sprichst. Wenn es egal ist, welche Option man aus einer Reihe von Möglichkeiten wählt, verwendest du ebenfalls "any":
  • You can come over any day, I am at home all week.
  • Any bus takes you to the theatre from here.
  • I like any kind of music.
Darüber hinaus verwendest du "any" in den meisten Fragen, die keine höflichen Anfragen oder Angebote sind:
  • Can you give me any news on the elections?
  • Do you have any idea what's going on?
  • Are there any playgrounds around your neighbourhood?
Übe den Gebrauch von some und any. Lies die unten stehenden Sätze und wähle das richtige Wort aus.
 
 
de
  1. You can ask friend of mine, they all know about my secret.
     
  2. I can offer you pancakes if you're hungry.
     
  3. He's just adding new items to his shopping list.
     
  4. Tom likes dress that his wife is wearing. She has good taste.
     
  5. Julia and Christina want to watch TV, but they cannot agree on movie.
     
  6. Would you like chocolate?
     
  7. Do you know good cake recipes?
     
Übung wiederholen ?
 
 
 
"Some" and "any" can also stand alone, that means without a noun. However, it's only correct when the thing or person that you talk about is known. Usually it is only the case in an answer to a question.
Study the examples:
  • Have you got any orange juice? No, I haven't got any. OR Yes, I have got some.
  • Are there any nice bars around? No, there aren't any. OR Yes, there are some.
  • Do you know any interesting museums? No, I don't know any. OR Yes, I know some.
Be careful: The use of "any" in an answer does NOT depend on Yes or No. Look at the following examples:
  • Can I take any train to New York? Yes, you can take any. All the trains go to New York from here.
  • Can I borrow any of your Pink CDs? Yes, take any.
You use "any" in a positive answer, when you want to say that it doesn't matter which.
Practise these kinds of answers. Decide which answers are correct.
"Some" und "any" können auch alleine stehen, also ohne ein Nomen. Das trifft jedoch nur zu, wenn die Sache oder Person, über die du sprichst, bekannt ist. Das ist normalerweise nur der Fall bei einer Antwort auf eine Frage.
Erforsche die Beispiele:
  • Have you got any orange juice? No, I haven't got any. ODER Yes, I have got some.
  • Are there any nice bars around? No, there aren't any. ODER Yes, there are some.
  • Do you know any interesting museums? No, I don't know any. ODER Yes, I know some.
Vorsicht: Der Gebrauch von "any" in einer Antwort hängt NICHT von Ja oder Nein ab. Schau dir die folgenden Beispiele an:
  • Can I take any train to New York? Yes, you can take any. All the trains go to New York from here.
  • Can I borrow any of your Pink CDs? Yes, take any.
Du verwendest "any" in einer bejahten Antwort, wenn du sagen möchtest, es ist egal, welche(r/s).
Übe diese Art von Antworten. Entscheide, welche Antworten korrekt sind.
 
 
de
  1. Do we have any eggs for the pancakes? No, but our neighbour could have ⁠.
     
  2. Do you have any pens that I could use? Yes, just take that you want.
     
  3. Do you know any clubs to go to? Yes, I know ⁠.
     
  4. Do you know any good books that you could recommend? No, I don't know ⁠.
     
  5. Are there any nice kids in your class? Yes, there are ⁠.
     
  6. Would you like some water? Yes, I'd like ⁠.
     
  7. Are there any news I should know? No, there aren't ⁠.
     
Übung wiederholen ?
 
 
 
Well done, you have learned a lot of new grammar!
Gut gemacht, du hast eine Menge neuer Grammatik gelernt!
Fahre mit schreiben und sprechen fort
 

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