Master Spanish Indefinite Pronouns: Alguien, Nadie, Algo, and Nada
When you are learning to navigate daily conversations in Spanish, you often need to refer to people or things in a general way without being specific. This is where indefinite pronouns come into play. Words like alguien (someone), nadie (no one), algo (something), and nada (nothing) are the building blocks for expressing existence or non-existence. While these words seem simple, Spanish handles negatives differently than English—especially regarding the "double negative." In this guide, we will break down how to use these pronouns correctly so you can sound more like a native speaker. 1. People: Alguien vs. Nadie These two pronouns refer exclusively to people. They are "invariable," meaning they do not change based on gender or whether you are talking about one person or a group. Alguien (Someone / Somebody) Use alguien when you know or suspect a person exists but you don't know exactly who they are. Example: ¿Hay alguien en la oficina? (Is there someon...