By the end of this lesson, I can…
- Apply: Use third-person singular after man
- Apply: Use man for general people, not a specific person
- Apply: Use jemand for an unspecified person
- Apply: Niemand already has a negative meaning
- Usage, exceptions and meaning
Simple explanation
What are indefinite pronouns?
Indefinite pronouns refer to people or things without identifying them exactly. The person or thing may be unknown, unimportant, or intentionally left unspecified. At A2 level, five especially useful German indefinite pronouns are man, jemand, niemand, etwas and nichts.
Using man for people in general
Man is used when you are talking about people in general rather than one specific person. Depending on the sentence, it can correspond to English expressions such as “you,” “people,” “one,” or a general passive idea. Grammatically, man is always third-person singular, so the verb must also be third-person singular: man ist, man hat, man arbeitet, man kann.
Using jemand and niemand for people
Jemand means “someone” or “somebody.” It refers to an unspecified person. Niemand means “nobody” or “no one” and is the negative counterpart. Both refer only to people. When they are the subject, the verb normally appears in the third-person singular.
Using etwas and nichts for things and information
Etwas means “something” and can refer to an unspecified object, idea, piece of information, activity or situation. Nichts means “nothing.” These two forms do not change for case. They are also often followed by nominalized adjectives such as etwas Neues and nichts Besonderes.
Using indefinite pronouns in questions
In questions, jemand is common when asking whether an unspecified person exists or has done something. Etwas is common when asking about an unspecified thing. For example: “Ist jemand zu Hause?” and “Möchtest du etwas trinken?” Niemand and nichts are used when the meaning itself is negative.
Case forms of jemand and niemand
Jemand and niemand can change form depending on their grammatical role. In the nominative they are jemand and niemand. Common inflected forms are jemanden and niemanden in the accusative, and jemandem and niemandem in the dative. Uninflected jemand and niemand are also correct standard variants in both cases. This lesson mainly uses the inflected forms to make the case visible.
Usage, exceptions and meaning
Man is a general pronoun with third-person singular agreement, distinct from the noun Mann. Jemand/niemand refer to people; etwas/nichts to things or content. Practise full accusative jemanden and dative jemandem, but uninflected jemand also occurs in accepted usage and must not be categorically marked wrong. Nominalized adjectives after etwas/nichts are capitalized: etwas Neues, nichts Wichtiges. Do not add an unnecessary second negative to Niemand kam.
Usage reference table
The table gives construction models. Meaning-question options follow the interface language; translated sentences appear in Examples.
| Pattern or function | Target-language model |
|---|---|
| Use third-person singular after man | Man muss hier leise sein. |
| Use jemand for an unspecified person | Jemand hat angerufen. |
| Change jemand and niemand according to case | Ich suche jemanden. |
| Change jemand and niemand according to case | Ich möchte jemandem helfen. |
| Use etwas for an unspecified thing | Ich möchte etwas trinken. |
| Usage, exceptions and meaning | Ich möchte etwas Neues lernen. |
Grammar formula
General statement with man
man + Verb in der 3. Person Singular + ...Hier spricht man Deutsch.
Unspecified person
jemand + Verb + ...Jemand wartet draußen.
No person
niemand + Verb + ...Niemand kennt die Antwort.
Unspecified thing
etwas + Verb / Verb + etwasIch möchte etwas essen.
No thing
nichts + Verb / Verb + nichtsIch höre nichts.
Question about a person
Verb + jemand + ...?Ist jemand zu Hause?
Question about a thing
Verb + Subjekt + etwas + ...?Brauchst du etwas?
Jemand in the accusative
Verb + jemandenIch suche jemanden.
Jemand in the dative
Verb / Präposition + jemandemIch helfe jemandem.
Core rules
- 1
Use third-person singular after man
The verb after man must be in the third-person singular: man arbeitet, man ist, man hat, man kann. Forms such as man arbeiten or man sind are incorrect.
- 2
Use man for general people, not a specific person
Use man for general rules, habits, customs, instructions or situations that apply to people in general.
- 3
Use jemand for an unspecified person
Use jemand when a person exists or is possible, but you do not say exactly who that person is.
- 4
Niemand already has a negative meaning
Niemand means “nobody” or “no one.” In a simple sentence, you normally do not add another nicht just to repeat the same negative meaning.
- 5
Use etwas for an unspecified thing
Etwas refers to an unspecified object, idea, piece of information or action.
- 6
Use nichts for no thing
Nichts means “nothing” and already makes the meaning negative. A second negation is normally unnecessary when you simply mean “nothing.”
- 7
Choose according to person or thing
Use jemand and niemand for people. Use etwas and nichts for things, information, ideas or unspecified content.
- 8
Change jemand and niemand according to case
Man is a general pronoun with third-person singular agreement, distinct from the noun Mann. Jemand/niemand refer to people; etwas/nichts to things or content. Practise full accusative jemanden and dative jemandem, but uninflected jemand also occurs in accepted usage and must not be categorically marked wrong. Nominalized adjectives after etwas/nichts are capitalized: etwas Neues, nichts Wichtiges. Do not add an unnecessary second negative to Niemand kam.
- 9
Usage, exceptions and meaning
Man is a general pronoun with third-person singular agreement, distinct from the noun Mann. Jemand/niemand refer to people; etwas/nichts to things or content. Practise full accusative jemanden and dative jemandem, but uninflected jemand also occurs in accepted usage and must not be categorically marked wrong. Nominalized adjectives after etwas/nichts are capitalized: etwas Neues, nichts Wichtiges. Do not add an unnecessary second negative to Niemand kam.
Useful examples
In Deutschland trinkt man morgens oft Kaffee.
In Germany, people often drink coffee in the morning.
Man is used because the sentence describes a general habit rather than one specific person.
Wie kommt man von hier zum Bahnhof?
How do you get from here to the train station?
Man is common when asking generally how something is done.
Hier darf man nicht rauchen.
You are not allowed to smoke here.
Man is often used in rules and general instructions.
Jemand steht vor der Tür.
Someone is standing at the door.
The speaker knows that a person is there but does not identify the person.
Hat jemand meinen Schlüssel gesehen?
Has anyone seen my key?
Jemand is used in a question about an unspecified person.
Ich suche jemanden, der Deutsch spricht.
I am looking for someone who speaks German.
Jemanden is accusative because it is the direct object of suchen.
Niemand ist heute im Büro.
Nobody is in the office today.
Niemand already expresses a negative meaning.
Ich kenne hier niemanden.
I do not know anyone here.
Niemanden is accusative because kennen takes a direct object.
Möchtest du etwas trinken?
Would you like something to drink?
Etwas refers to an unspecified drink or thing.
Ich muss dir etwas erzählen.
I have to tell you something.
Etwas can refer to information, not only physical objects.
Ich habe heute nichts gegessen.
I have eaten nothing today.
Nichts expresses that no food was eaten.
Was ist los? – Nichts.
What is wrong? – Nothing.
Nichts can also be used alone as a short answer.
Ich möchte etwas Neues ausprobieren.
I would like to try something new.
Neues is a nominalized adjective after etwas and is therefore capitalized.
Heute gibt es nichts Besonderes.
There is nothing special today.
Nichts Besonderes is a common everyday expression.
Kann jemand mir helfen?
Can someone help me?
Jemand is the subject, so the verb form is third-person singular.
Ich habe mit niemandem darüber gesprochen.
I have not spoken to anyone about it.
Mit requires the dative, so niemand becomes niemandem.
Common mistakes
- ❌ Man müssen hier leise sein. ✅ Man muss hier leise sein.
- ❌ Jemand haben angerufen. ✅ Jemand hat angerufen.
- ❌ Ich suche jemandem. ✅ Ich suche jemanden.
- ❌ Ich möchte jemanden helfen. ✅ Ich möchte jemandem helfen.
- ❌ Ich möchte man trinken. ✅ Ich möchte etwas trinken.
- ❌ Ich möchte etwas Neu lernen. ✅ Ich möchte etwas Neues lernen.
Learning tips
- First ask yourself: are you talking about a person or a thing? Person: jemand or niemand. Thing: etwas or nichts.
- Do not confuse man with Mann. Man with one n is a pronoun; Mann with two n means “man” as a male person.
- Always check the verb after man: man ist, man hat, man kann, man muss, man arbeitet.
- Pay attention to case with jemand and niemand: jemanden or niemanden in the accusative, jemandem or niemandem in the dative.
- Useful everyday combinations include etwas Neues, etwas Interessantes, nichts Besonderes and nichts Neues.
- Avoid unnecessary double negation with niemand and nichts.
- Do not try to translate man with the same English word every time. Depending on the context, “you,” “people,” “one” or an impersonal construction may sound more natural.
Use it in your own text
Write six connected sentences about your life, plans or experiences, using each table pattern once. Check why each construction fits, using this lesson’s rules. This is self-assessment; the multiple-choice test has a separate recorded score.
- Write a new sentence about yourself using table pattern 1.
- Write a new sentence about yourself using table pattern 2.
- Write a new sentence about yourself using table pattern 3.
- Write a new sentence about yourself using table pattern 4.
- Write a new sentence about yourself using table pattern 5.
- Write a new sentence about yourself using table pattern 6.
Show the model
Man muss hier leise sein. Jemand hat angerufen. Ich suche jemanden. Ich möchte jemandem helfen. Ich möchte etwas trinken. Ich möchte etwas Neues lernen.
Check your own work
- My intended meaning fits the chosen construction.
- I checked subject, verb form, case/preposition and word order.
- I adapted the models to my own context and considered the exceptions.
Put it into practice
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Related grammar
Related dictionary words
Frequently asked questions
What should I check for “Use third-person singular after man”?
The verb after man must be in the third-person singular: man arbeitet, man ist, man hat, man kann. Forms such as man arbeiten or man sind are incorrect.
What should I check for “Use man for general people, not a specific person”?
Use man for general rules, habits, customs, instructions or situations that apply to people in general.
What should I check for “Use jemand for an unspecified person”?
Use jemand when a person exists or is possible, but you do not say exactly who that person is.
What should I check for “Niemand already has a negative meaning”?
Niemand means “nobody” or “no one.” In a simple sentence, you normally do not add another nicht just to repeat the same negative meaning.
What should I check for “Use etwas for an unspecified thing”?
Etwas refers to an unspecified object, idea, piece of information or action.
What should I check for “Use nichts for no thing”?
Nichts means “nothing” and already makes the meaning negative. A second negation is normally unnecessary when you simply mean “nothing.”
What should I check for “Choose according to person or thing”?
Use jemand and niemand for people. Use etwas and nichts for things, information, ideas or unspecified content.
What should I check for “Change jemand and niemand according to case”?
Man is a general pronoun with third-person singular agreement, distinct from the noun Mann. Jemand/niemand refer to people; etwas/nichts to things or content. Practise full accusative jemanden and dative jemandem, but uninflected jemand also occurs in accepted usage and must not be categorically marked wrong. Nominalized adjectives after etwas/nichts are capitalized: etwas Neues, nichts Wichtiges. Do not add an unnecessary second negative to Niemand kam.
What should I check for “Usage, exceptions and meaning”?
Man is a general pronoun with third-person singular agreement, distinct from the noun Mann. Jemand/niemand refer to people; etwas/nichts to things or content. Practise full accusative jemanden and dative jemandem, but uninflected jemand also occurs in accepted usage and must not be categorically marked wrong. Nominalized adjectives after etwas/nichts are capitalized: etwas Neues, nichts Wichtiges. Do not add an unnecessary second negative to Niemand kam.
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