How French works
When some is used as an adjective to express an unspecific amount of something it is translated by the partitive article (du, de la, de l’) or, to express an unspecific number of something, by the plural indefinite article (des):
I have some make-up / tissues in my bag
J’ai du maquillage / des Kleenex dans mon sac
If it is a pronoun it is translated by en:
I have some in my bag
J’en ai dans mon sac
When some has the sense of a few it is translated by quelque(s) when it is an adjective and by quelques-un(e)s (with en) when it is a pronoun :
- I still have some apples left. Do you want some?
- Il me reste encore quelques pommes. En veux-tu quelques-unes?
When some has the sense of certain (i.e. in contrast to others), it is translated by certain when both an adjective and a pronoun :
Some restaurants accept credit cards, while others don’t accept them
Certains restaurants acceptent les cartes de crédit, alors que d’autres ne les acceptent pas
Do you know his books? I know some
Tu connais ses livres? J’en connais certains
Some is also often translated by certain when it is used as an adjective with the sense of a measure of:
The measures did have some effect though
Les mesures ont quand-même eu un certain effet
When some has the sense of a considerable amount of it is translated by quelque or certain:
I had some difficulty understanding him
J’ai eu quelque difficulté à le comprendre
It took some courage to carry on
Il a fallu un certain courage pour continuer
When some refers to an unknown person or thing it is translated by quelque or by means of the adverb quelque part:
We’ll have to find some other solution to the problem
Il nous faudra trouver quelque autre solution au problème
I bought it in some shop years ago
Je l’ai acheté dans un magasin quelque part il y a bien des années
If the sense is more negative , indicating that the speaker is not particularly interested in the person or thing referred to, then the indefinite article is usually preferred:
She’s gone out to meet some woman
Elle est sortie pour rencontrer une femme
When some is used as an adverb to indicate an approximate number, then quelque is used. Note that, being an adverb, it is invariable and therefore does not take an –s:
There were some two thousand people at the concert
Il y avait quelque deux mille personnes au concert
For most contexts someone is translated by quelqu’un:
We need to find someone for the job
Il faut que nous trouvions quelqu'un pour le poste
Note that when someone is followed by an adjective , French uses the preposition de between quelqu’un and the adjective:
We need to find someone very experienced for the job
Il faut que nous trouvions quelqu’un de très expérimenté pour le poste
For most contexts something is translated by quelque chose (note that this is always two words):
That reminded me of something she said to me
Cela m'a rappelé quelque chose qu'elle m'a dit
As with quelqu’un, when something is followed by an adjective , French uses the preposition de between quelque chose and the adjective:
There was something strange in the way he spoke to me
Il y avait quelque chose de curieux dans la façon dont il m’a parlé
Note that although the noun chose is feminine, the indefinite pronoun is neutral, and therefore takes a masculine agreement (i.e. quelque chose de bon and not *quelque chose de bonne).
When somewhere is used on its own or with an adverbial , it is usually translated by quelque part (note that this is always two words). When somewhere is followed by an adjective , an infinitive or a finite clause , un endroit is generally used:
He’s working somewhere in France
Il travaille quelque part en France
We are looking for somewhere to stay for the night
On cherche un endroit où passer la nuit
The adverb sometimes can be translated by either quelquefois or parfois. Note that unlike quelque chose, quelquefois is always one word:
Sometimes we go to Spain for our holidays
Quelquefois / Parfois nous allons en Espagne pour nos vacances
When used without another adverbial , sometime is generally translated by an idiom :
You are going to have to tell him sometime
Il va falloir que tu le lui dises un jour ou l’autre
I’d like to meet her sometime
Je voudrais la rencontrer un de ces jours
When used with another adverbial , sometime can be translated using dans la journée or dans le courant de or else is not translated:
Can I see you sometime this afternoon / tomorrow / next week?
Je peux vous voir cet après-midi / demain dans la journée / dans le courant de la semaine prochaine?
When somehow has the sense of in some way, it is generally translated by d’une façon / manière ou d’une autre when referring to a future action, or by je ne sais comment when referring to past actions:
I must do it somehow
Je dois le faire d’une manière ou d’une autre
I somehow managed to get there on time
J'ai pu y arriver à l'heure je ne sais comment
When somehow has the sense of for some reason, it is generally translated by pour une raison ou pour une autre:
Somehow she never managed to meet him
Pour une raison ou pour une autre elle n’a jamais réussi à le rencontrer
Note the following alternatives:
You’ll manage somehow!
Tu te débrouilleras!
It seems strange somehow
Cela paraît un peu bizarre
When any has the sense of some, it is translated by the partitive article (du, de la, de l’) if it is an adjective :
Do you have any money?
Est-ce que vous avez de l’argent?
In the negative this reverts to de:
I don’t have any money
Je n’ai pas d’argent
If it is a pronoun it is translated by en:
Do you have any?
Est-ce que vous en avez?
When any has the sense of no matter which, it is translated by n’importe quel (or derivatives) if it is an adjective :
Any bag will do
N’importe quel sac fera l’affaire
Open any newspaper and you’ll see the same thing
Ouvrez n’importe quel journal, on voit la même chose
When the noun qualified by any is perceived as hypothetical rather than real, tout is preferred:
I would be glad of any information on this subject
Tout renseignement sur ce suject me serait utile
Any complaints should be addressed to customer services
Pour toute réclamation, s’adresser au service clientèle
In many contexts, however, these differences are blurred and either translation is acceptable:
Any mother will tell you the same thing
N’importe quelle / toute mère vous dira la même chose
Any can also be translated by means of an idiom :
I don’t want to put you out in any way
Je ne veux pas te déranger de quelque façon que ce soit
He might arrive at any time
Il peut arriver d’un moment à l’autre
If at any time you want to speak to me, just phone
Si à un moment ou à un autre tu veux me parler, tu n’as qu’à téléphoner
Like any self-respecting Englishman, he has tea with his breakfast
Comme tout Anglais qui se respecte, il prend du thé au petit déjeuner
If it is a pronoun it is translated by n’importe lequel (or derivative):
- Which one would you like? - Any
- Lequel veux-tu? - N’importe lequel
In negative sentences anyone is translated by ne ... personne:
I’m afraid there isn’t anyone in the office who can help you
Je regrette qu’il n’y ait personne dans le bureau qui puisse vous aider
In questions anyone is translated by quelqu’un:
Is there anyone in the office who can help me?
Y a-t-il quelqu’un dans le bureau qui puisse m'aider?
Where anyone means no matter who, this can generally be translated by either n’importe qui or tout le monde:
Anyone could tell you
N’importe qui / Tout le monde pourrait vous le dire
As with the English word anyone, the French word n’importe qui can have a slightly negative connotation in some contexts:
I don’t want to give it to just anyone
Je ne veux pas le donner à n’importe qui
Where anyone is followed by the relative pronoun who, tout ceux is used:
Anyone who wants to can come
Tout ceux qui le veulent peuvent venir
When the sense is closer to someone, as in questions, quelqu’un is used:
If anyone arrives early, could you let them in?
Si quelqu’un arrive en avance, tu peux le faire entrer?
Anyone can also be translated by means of an idiom :
Anyone but him!
Tout le monde sauf lui!
Bring anyone you like
Amène qui tu voudras
In negative sentences anything is translated by ne...rien:
I’m afraid there isn’t anything I can do to help
Je regrette qu’il n’y a rien que je puisse faire pour vous aider
In questions anything is translated by quelque chose:
Is there anything I can do?
Y a-t-il quelque chose que je puisse faire?
Where anything means no matter what, this can generally be translated by either n’importe quoi or tout:
He would do anything to please her
Il ferait tout / n’importe quoi pour lui plaire
I would give anything to know what happened
Je donnerais tout / n’importe quoi pour savoir ce qui s’est passé
As with the English word anything, n’importe quoi can have a slightly negative connotation in some contexts:
I don’t want to give her just anything
Je ne veux pas lui donner n’importe quoi
He eats anything [i.e. any old thing]
Il mange n’importe quoi
If tout were used in this last example, the connotation would be more neutral:
Il mange de tout
He eats anything [i.e. he's not fussy]
Where anything is the antecedent of a relative clause , tout ce is used:
You can have anything you like
Tu peux avoir tout ce que tu veux
Anything can also be translated by means of an idiom :
Oh no - anything but that!
Ah non - tout sauf ça!
- Was he upset? - If anything he was relieved
- Est-ce qu’il était affecté? On dirait plutôt qu’il était soulagé
In negative sentences anywhere is translated by ne...nulle part:
We didn’t go anywhere for our holidays this year
Nous ne sommes allés nulle part pour nos vacances cette année
In questions, where anywhere is used on its own or with an adverbial , it is usually translated by quelque part:
Have you seen Marie anywhere?
Est-ce que tu as vu Marie quelque part?
Where anywhere is followed by an adjective , an infinitive or a finite clause , un endroit is generally used:
Did you go anywhere nice for your holidays?
Etes-vous allés dans un endroit agréable pour vos vacances?
Where anywhere has the sense of no matter where, it can generally be translated by either n’importe où or partout:
He would go anywhere to see Manchester United play
Il irait n’importe où / partout pour voir jouer Manchester United
Where the sense is more akin to everywhere, then partout is generally preferred:
You can buy them anywhere in France
Vous pouvez les acheter partout en France
Anywhere can also be translated by means of an idiom :
You can go anywhere
Tu peux aller où tu veux
Anywhere you go you’ll see the same thing
Où que vous alliez, vous verrez la même chose