B1 Pronouns 11 min read Easy

German Indefinite Pronouns: etwas, nichts, alles (Things)

Always capitalize adjectives after etwas, nichts, and alles, and add -es (for etwas/nichts) or -e (for alles).
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Use 'etwas' for something, 'nichts' for nothing, and 'alles' for everything; they are neutral and don't change for gender.

  • Use 'etwas' for an unspecified amount or thing: 'Ich möchte etwas essen.'
  • Use 'nichts' for the absence of things: 'Ich habe nichts gehört.'
  • Use 'alles' for the totality of things: 'Alles ist gut.'
etwas/nichts/alles + Verb + (rest of sentence)

Overview

In German, discussing abstract or unspecified concepts often necessitates a particular grammatical construction involving indefinite pronouns. These pronouns, primarily etwas (something), nichts (nothing), and alles (everything), serve as placeholders for things that are either unknown, unimportant, or deliberately left vague. While these pronouns themselves are straightforward, their interaction with descriptive adjectives forms a crucial and distinctive pattern in German grammar: the nominalization of adjectives.

This rule, central to clear and natural expression at the B1 CEFR level, transforms an adjective into a capitalized noun-like entity, requiring specific endings. Understanding this mechanism allows you to articulate nuanced ideas about unspecified objects or circumstances, moving beyond basic sentence structures and significantly enhancing your communicative precision in German.

How This Grammar Works

At its core, the use of etwas, nichts, and alles involves referring to an abstract, ungendered, and usually singular “thing.” These pronouns do not inflect for case, gender, or number in typical usage; they remain constant regardless of their grammatical function in a sentence. For instance, you will always say Ich sehe etwas (I see something), Er weiß nichts (He knows nothing), and Sie kauft alles (She buys everything), irrespective of whether they act as the subject or object.
The unique aspect arises when you wish to describe the “something,” “nothing,” or “everything.” Unlike English, where you might simply say “something new” or “nothing interesting,” German employs a process called adjective nominalization. Here, the adjective ceases to modify a visible noun and instead becomes the conceptual noun itself, representing the unspecified quality or characteristic. This transformation mandates two critical changes: the adjective is capitalized and takes on a specific neuter ending.
This phenomenon is rooted in German's highly inflected nature, where adjectives often carry crucial grammatical information. When an adjective modifies a pronoun like etwas, nichts, or alles, which inherently lack a specific grammatical gender or number for the “thing” they represent, the adjective effectively inherits this role. It stands in for a conceptual neuter noun, similar to das Neue (the new thing) or das Gute (the good thing).
Consequently, the adjective receives endings typically associated with strong adjective declension in the neuter singular. This provides the necessary grammatical scaffolding for the unspecified concept.
The specific endings depend on the indefinite pronoun used:
  • With etwas and nichts: The following adjective takes the strong neuter singular ending -es. This ending signals the nominalized adjective as representing an unspecified, neuter singular concept. Think of it as creating a conceptual neuter noun like etwas Neues (something new) or nichts Schlimmes (nothing bad). The -es suffix fills the grammatical void, providing the characteristic neuter singular marking that would typically come from an article or noun.
  • Ich möchte etwas Kaltes trinken. (I would like to drink something cold.)
  • Es gibt nichts Besseres als Schlaf. (There's nothing better than sleep.)
  • With alles: The following adjective takes the weak neuter singular ending -e. The reason for this difference lies in the phonetic and historical development of alles. The pronoun alles already contains a strong declension ending (-es) built into its structure. Adding another strong ending (e.g., alles Gutes) would create a redundant or phonetically awkward construction. Therefore, the adjective following alles takes a weaker, less emphatic ending, the -e, which is characteristic of weak adjective declension after a preceding strong marker.
  • Ich wünsche dir alles Gute zum Geburtstag. (I wish you all the best for your birthday.)
  • Hast du schon alles Wichtige erledigt? (Have you already taken care of everything important?)
This distinction between -es for etwas/nichts and -e for alles is crucial for sounding natural and grammatically correct. It directly reflects how German distributes grammatical information across words in a phrase, avoiding redundancy while ensuring clarity.

Formation Pattern

1
Forming these phrases correctly requires a systematic approach, essentially combining your chosen indefinite pronoun with a descriptive adjective and applying the appropriate capitalization and ending. This pattern is highly predictable once you internalize the ending rules for etwas/nichts versus alles.
2
Here are the steps to follow:
3
Select the Indefinite Pronoun: Choose etwas (something), nichts (nothing), or alles (everything) based on your intended meaning.
4
Colloquial note: In informal contexts, etwas is frequently shortened to was. The rules for adjective endings remain identical: was Neues (something new).
5
Identify the Adjective: Determine the quality or characteristic you want to describe. For example, schön (beautiful), alt (old), interessant (interesting).
6
Nominalize and Capitalize: Transform the adjective into a noun-like entity by capitalizing its first letter. So, schön becomes Schön, alt becomes Alt, and interessant becomes Interessant. This step reflects its new grammatical function.
7
Apply the Correct Ending: This is the critical step where you differentiate based on the pronoun:
8
For etwas or nichts: Add the strong neuter singular ending -es to the capitalized adjective.
9
For alles: Add the weak neuter singular ending -e to the capitalized adjective.
10
This can be summarized in the following table:
11
| Indefinite Pronoun | Adjective Ending | Example with gut | Example with schlecht |
12
| :----------------- | :--------------- | :------------------- | :---------------------- |
13
| etwas | -es | etwas Gutes | etwas Schlechtes |
14
| nichts | -es | nichts Gutes | nichts Schlechtes |
15
| alles | -e | alles Gute | alles Schlechte |
16
Let’s walk through an example: You want to say “something exciting.”
17
Pronoun: etwas (or was for informal)
18
Adjective: spannend
19
Capitalize: Spannend
20
Add Ending (for etwas): spannend + -es = Spannendes
21
Result: etwas Spannendes (something exciting)
22
Another example: “everything important.”
23
Pronoun: alles
24
Adjective: wichtig
25
Capitalize: Wichtig
26
Add Ending (for alles): wichtig + -e = Wichtige
27
Result: alles Wichtige (everything important)
28
This pattern holds consistently for virtually all adjectives when used in conjunction with these three indefinite pronouns. Mastery of this table ensures correct usage.

When To Use It

The primary function of etwas, nichts, and alles with nominalized adjectives is to refer to unspecified qualities or categories of “things.” This construction is indispensable in German when precision about a specific noun is either impossible, unnecessary, or deliberately avoided. It allows for broad, general statements or inquiries about circumstances, feelings, or items without naming them directly.
You will find this pattern particularly useful in situations where:
  • You don’t know the specific noun: When you're talking about a general concept or an unnamed item.
  • Hast du etwas Interessantes gelesen? (Have you read anything interesting? – referring to a book, article, etc., without specifying.)
  • The specific noun is irrelevant: The focus is on the quality rather than the item itself.
  • Ich brauche etwas Warmes zum Anziehen. (I need something warm to wear. – the specific garment is not important, only its quality of being warm.)
  • You are making a general statement: Expressing wishes, observations, or conclusions about broad categories.
  • Alles Gute zum Geburtstag! (All the best for your birthday! – a general well-wishing.)
  • You are expressing absence or negation: Stating that a particular quality is completely missing.
  • Es gibt hier nichts Neues zu berichten. (There is nothing new to report here.)
  • You are seeking or offering general descriptions: In everyday conversations, when asking about new developments or suggesting something.
  • Gibt es etwas Neues? (Is there anything new?)
  • Ich habe heute etwas Leckeres gekocht. (I cooked something delicious today.)
This grammatical structure is highly versatile and common in both spoken and written German. It allows for conciseness and fluidity, enabling speakers to convey complex ideas about unspecified things efficiently. From ordering food to discussing current events, the ability to correctly apply these pronouns with nominalized adjectives marks a significant step towards native-like fluency.

Common Mistakes

German learners frequently encounter difficulties with the indefinite pronouns etwas, nichts, and alles due to several recurring error patterns. Recognizing these pitfalls and understanding their underlying causes is crucial for accurate and confident usage.
  1. 1Forgetting Capitalization: This is arguably the most common and immediately noticeable error. In German, all nominalized adjectives, regardless of their origin, must be capitalized. Failing to do so indicates a lack of familiarity with a fundamental rule of German orthography.
  • Incorrect: Ich habe etwas neues entdeckt.
  • Correct: Ich habe etwas Neues entdeckt. (I have discovered something new.)
  • Why it's wrong: The adjective neu is functioning as a noun substitute here, and all nouns in German are capitalized. This rule is absolute for nominalized adjectives.
  1. 1Incorrect Endings, especially with alles: A frequent mistake is to apply the -es ending to adjectives following alles, mirroring the pattern of etwas and nichts. This results in phrases like alles Gutes, which is grammatically incorrect.
  • Incorrect: Ich wünsche dir alles Gutes.
  • Correct: Ich wünsche dir alles Gute. (I wish you all the best.)
  • Why it's wrong: As explained in the “How This Grammar Works” section, alles already contains a strong ending. The subsequent adjective takes the weak -e ending to avoid phonetic redundancy and to adhere to principles of weak adjective declension after a strong preceding element. This distinction is a hallmark of advanced German proficiency.
  1. 1Confusing alles (everything) with alle (everyone/all of them): These two words are distinct in meaning and usage, yet often conflated by learners. alles refers exclusively to an aggregate of things or an abstract concept (everything, a singular neuter notion). alle, on the other hand, refers to people or countable plural items (all of them, everyone).
  • Incorrect: Alles sind hier. (Everything are here.)
  • Correct: Alle sind hier. (Everyone is here.)
  • Why it's wrong: alles is grammatically singular and neuter, while alle is plural. Using alles for people results in a grammatical and semantic mismatch.
  1. 1Attempting to Decline etwas, nichts, or alles: These indefinite pronouns themselves do not change form for case, gender, or number in this context. Learners sometimes try to apply declension rules to the pronouns themselves, which is unnecessary and incorrect.
  • Incorrect: Mit etwasem Neuem.
  • Correct: Mit etwas Neuem. (With something new.)
  • Why it's wrong: The grammatical information (e.g., dative case) is carried by the nominalized adjective, not the pronoun. The pronouns etwas, nichts, alles are invariant.
By systematically addressing these common errors, learners can significantly improve their accuracy and achieve a more native-like command of these essential German grammatical structures. Always double-check capitalization and the correct adjective ending, especially after alles.

Real Conversations

Beyond textbook examples, these indefinite pronouns with nominalized adjectives are deeply integrated into authentic German communication. They offer a concise way to express nuanced ideas in various modern contexts, from casual messaging to professional exchanges. Understanding their real-world application is key to developing natural fluency.

- In casual conversation or messaging: When discussing recent events or making plans, directness and brevity are often valued.

- Scenario: Catching up with a friend.

- Was gibt's Neues bei dir? (What’s new with you? – a very common informal greeting)

- Ach, nichts Besonderes, alles beim Alten. (Oh, nothing special, everything’s the same as before.)

- Expressing desires or needs: When shopping, ordering food, or discussing personal preferences.

- Scenario: At a café.

- Ich hätte gern etwas Süßes zum Kaffee. (I’d like something sweet with my coffee.)

- Gibt es auch etwas Veganes? (Is there anything vegan?)

- In professional or academic settings: While the language might be more formal, the structure remains consistent for referring to general concepts or conclusions.

- Scenario: After a meeting or presentation.

- Haben wir etwas Wichtiges vergessen zu besprechen? (Have we forgotten to discuss anything important?)

- Ich glaube, wir haben alles Relevante abgedeckt. (I believe we have covered everything relevant.)

- Giving advice or expressing empathy: When offering comfort or general counsel.

- Scenario: Comforting a struggling colleague.

- Mach dir keine Sorgen, es ist nichts Schlimmes. (Don't worry, it’s nothing bad.)

- Ich wünsche dir alles Gute für deine Prüfung. (I wish you all the best for your exam.)

- Describing experiences or observations: When reflecting on events or providing general commentary.

- Scenario: Discussing a vacation.

- Es gab dort wirklich nichts Langweiliges zu sehen. (There was really nothing boring to see there.)

- Ich habe alles Schöne mit der Kamera festgehalten. (I captured all the beautiful things with the camera.)

These examples demonstrate how etwas, nichts, and alles with nominalized adjectives are not merely theoretical constructs but integral components of everyday German, facilitating clear and natural expression about the unspecified elements of life.

Quick FAQ

This section addresses common specific questions learners have regarding etwas, nichts, alles and the nominalization of adjectives.
  • Q: Do etwas, nichts, and alles themselves change their form (decline) for case or gender?
  • A: No, these pronouns are remarkably stable. In the context of referring to abstract or unspecified

Indefinite Pronoun Overview

Pronoun Meaning Gender Case Change
etwas
something
neutral
none
nichts
nothing
neutral
none
alles
everything
neutral
none

Common Adjective Combinations

Pronoun Adjective Result
etwas
neu
etwas Neues
nichts
schön
nichts Schönes
alles
gut
alles Gute

Meanings

These pronouns function as placeholders for inanimate objects or abstract concepts when the specific noun is unknown, irrelevant, or negated.

1

General Indefinite

Referring to an unspecified thing.

“Hast du etwas für mich?”

“Er hat nichts gesagt.”

2

Quantifier

Referring to a whole or partial amount.

“Ich habe alles gegessen.”

“Gibt es noch etwas Kaffee?”

Reference Table

Reference table for German Indefinite Pronouns: etwas, nichts, alles (Things)
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
Pronoun + Verb
Alles ist bereit.
Negative
Pronoun + Verb
Ich weiß nichts.
Question
Pronoun + Verb + Subject
Ist etwas passiert?
Adjective
Pronoun + Adj(cap) + es
Etwas Schönes.
Short Answer
Pronoun
Nichts.
Prepositional
Prep + Pronoun
Mit etwas Glück.

Formality Spectrum

Formal
Ich besitze nichts.

Ich besitze nichts. (Possession)

Neutral
Ich habe nichts.

Ich habe nichts. (Possession)

Informal
Ich hab' nix.

Ich hab' nix. (Possession)

Slang
Nullinger.

Nullinger. (Possession)

Indefinite Pronoun Map

Indefinite Pronouns

Positive

  • etwas something

Negative

  • nichts nothing

Total

  • alles everything
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Examples by Level

1

Ich möchte etwas trinken.

I would like to drink something.

2

Das ist alles.

That is all.

3

Ich habe nichts.

I have nothing.

4

Ist das alles?

Is that everything?

1

Hast du etwas für mich?

Do you have something for me?

2

Nichts ist perfekt.

Nothing is perfect.

3

Alles wird gut.

Everything will be fine.

4

Ich brauche nichts mehr.

I don't need anything more.

1

Gibt es etwas Neues?

Is there anything new?

2

Er hat nichts Interessantes gesagt.

He said nothing interesting.

3

Alles Schöne hat ein Ende.

Everything beautiful has an end.

4

Ich habe etwas Wichtiges vergessen.

I forgot something important.

1

Nichtsdestotrotz ist alles gut gelaufen.

Nevertheless, everything went well.

2

Es gibt nichts, was ich lieber täte.

There is nothing I would rather do.

3

Alles, was du sagst, ist wahr.

Everything you say is true.

4

Etwas Besseres als den Tod finden wir überall.

Something better than death we find everywhere.

1

Nichts liegt mir ferner, als dich zu kränken.

Nothing is further from me than to offend you.

2

Alles in allem war es ein Erfolg.

All in all, it was a success.

3

Es ist etwas, das man nicht ignorieren kann.

It is something that one cannot ignore.

4

Nichts ist so beständig wie der Wandel.

Nothing is as constant as change.

1

Alles, was Rang und Namen hat, war anwesend.

Everyone of importance was present.

2

Nichts von alledem ist eingetreten.

None of that has occurred.

3

Etwas derartiges habe ich noch nie gehört.

I have never heard anything of the sort.

4

Alles andere wäre inakzeptabel.

Anything else would be unacceptable.

Easily Confused

German Indefinite Pronouns: etwas, nichts, alles (Things) vs Nichts vs. Kein

Learners use 'nichts' before nouns.

German Indefinite Pronouns: etwas, nichts, alles (Things) vs Etwas vs. Jemand

Learners use 'etwas' for people.

German Indefinite Pronouns: etwas, nichts, alles (Things) vs Alles vs. Alle

Learners use 'alles' for people.

Common Mistakes

✗

Ich habe etwas Auto.

✓

Ich habe ein Auto.

Etwas is a pronoun, not an article.
✗

Ich habe nicht etwas.

✓

Ich habe nichts.

Nichts already includes the negation.
✗

Etwas ist gut.

✓

Alles ist gut.

Contextual error between something and everything.
✗

Ich sehe etwas Mann.

✓

Ich sehe einen Mann.

Etwas is for things, not people.
✗

Ich habe nichts gesehen.

✓

Ich habe nichts gesehen.

Correct, but ensure no double negation.
✗

Alles sind gut.

✓

Alles ist gut.

Alles is singular.
✗

Ich brauche etwas.

✓

Ich brauche etwas.

Correct, but ensure context is clear.
✗

Ich habe etwas schön.

✓

Ich habe etwas Schönes.

Adjectives after these pronouns need -es.
✗

Nichts neues.

✓

Nichts Neues.

Adjectives must be capitalized.
✗

Alles was ich habe.

✓

Alles, was ich habe.

Relative clauses need a comma.
✗

Nichts von dem ist wahr.

✓

Nichts von alledem ist wahr.

Idiomatic preference for alledem.
✗

Alles andere als gut.

✓

Alles andere als gut.

Correct, but check register.
✗

Etwas derartiges.

✓

Etwas Derartiges.

Capitalization of nominalized words.

Sentence Patterns

Ich habe ___ ___.

___ ist heute passiert.

Gibt es ___ ___?

___, was du sagst, stimmt.

Real World Usage

Texting constant

Alles klar?

Ordering food very common

Ich möchte etwas.

Job interview common

Ich habe nichts hinzuzufügen.

Social media common

Alles neu!

Travel common

Ich habe nichts zu verzollen.

Food delivery app common

Etwas dazu?

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💡

Capitalization

Always capitalize the adjective after these pronouns.
⚠️

No People

Never use these for people; use jemand/niemand.
🎯

Adjective Ending

Always add -es to the adjective.
💬

Directness

Using 'nichts' is a polite way to decline offers.

Smart Tips

Always capitalize and add -es.

Ich habe etwas neu. → Ich habe etwas Neues.

Use 'nichts' to be polite.

Nein, ich will nicht. → Nein, danke, ich brauche nichts.

Check if you mean things or people.

Ich sehe etwas. → Ich sehe jemanden.

Remember it is singular.

Alles sind hier. → Alles ist hier.

Pronunciation

/nɪçts/

Nichts

The 'ch' is a soft ich-laut, not a hard k.

Question

Hast du etwas? ↑

Rising intonation for yes/no questions.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of a balance scale: 'Etwas' is a small weight, 'Nichts' is an empty scale, 'Alles' is the whole pile.

Visual Association

Imagine a box. 'Etwas' is a small gift inside, 'Nichts' is an empty box, 'Alles' is the box overflowing with items.

Rhyme

Etwas ist klein, Nichts ist leer, Alles ist mehr.

Story

I looked in my bag for my keys. I found 'etwas' (a coin), but 'nichts' (no keys). I emptied 'alles' (everything) onto the floor.

Word Web

etwasnichtsallesirgendetwasnichtsdestotrotzallesamt

Challenge

For 5 minutes, describe your room using only these three pronouns and basic verbs.

Cultural Notes

Germans are direct. 'Nichts' is often used to end a conversation politely.

Austrians often use 'nix' instead of 'nichts' in casual speech.

Swiss German speakers often use 'etwas' as 'öppis'.

These pronouns evolved from Old High German 'etewaz' and 'niwiht'.

Conversation Starters

“

Hast du heute schon etwas gegessen?

“

Gibt es etwas, das du unbedingt machen willst?

“

Ist alles in Ordnung bei dir?

“

Glaubst du, dass nichts unmöglich ist?

Journal Prompts

Write about your morning using 'etwas', 'nichts', and 'alles'.
Describe a perfect day using these pronouns.
Reflect on a challenge you overcame.
Discuss the philosophy of 'nothingness'.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Fill in the blank.

Ich habe ___ Schönes gekauft.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: etwas
Etwas is used for something.
Choose the correct pronoun. Multiple Choice

___ ist perfekt.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Nichts
Nichts is used for nothing.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Ich habe nichts neu.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ich habe nichts Neues.
Adjective needs capitalization and -es.
Order the words. Sentence Building

ist / alles / gut

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Alles ist gut.
Standard word order.
Match the pronoun to the meaning. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: something, nothing, everything
Direct translation.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Brauchst du Hilfe? B: Nein, danke, ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: nichts
Declining help.
Sort into People/Things. Grammar Sorting

Sort: etwas, jemand, nichts, niemand

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Things: etwas, nichts; People: jemand, niemand
Pronoun categories.
Is this true? True False Rule

Indefinite pronouns change for gender.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
They are invariant.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Fill in the blank.

Ich habe ___ Schönes gekauft.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: etwas
Etwas is used for something.
Choose the correct pronoun. Multiple Choice

___ ist perfekt.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Nichts
Nichts is used for nothing.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Ich habe nichts neu.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ich habe nichts Neues.
Adjective needs capitalization and -es.
Order the words. Sentence Building

ist / alles / gut

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Alles ist gut.
Standard word order.
Match the pronoun to the meaning. Match Pairs

Match: etwas, nichts, alles

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: something, nothing, everything
Direct translation.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Brauchst du Hilfe? B: Nein, danke, ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: nichts
Declining help.
Sort into People/Things. Grammar Sorting

Sort: etwas, jemand, nichts, niemand

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Things: etwas, nichts; People: jemand, niemand
Pronoun categories.
Is this true? True False Rule

Indefinite pronouns change for gender.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
They are invariant.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

12 exercises
Select the correct ending for the adjective. Fill in the Blank

Gibt es heute im Fernsehen etwas Spannend___?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: es
Select the correct ending for the adjective. Fill in the Blank

Er hat gestern alles Wichtig___ erledigt.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: e
Correct the grammar mistake in the sentence. Error Correction

Gibt es etwas süßes zum Nachtisch?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Gibt es etwas Süßes zum Nachtisch?
Put the words in the correct order to form a natural German sentence. Sentence Reorder

Reorder the words:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ich suche etwas Günstiges.
Translate the English sentence to German. Translation

Translate: 'He knows nothing new.'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Er weiß nichts Neues.
Select the sentence with the correct casual/slang usage. Multiple Choice

How would you casually text a friend 'Do you want something tasty?'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Willst du was Leckeres?
Match the pronoun to the correct adjective ending it demands. Match Pairs

Match the pairs:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: etwas -> Gutes, alles -> Gute, nichts -> Schlimmes, was -> Neues
Complete the common German birthday wish. Fill in the Blank

Ich wünsche dir alles ___ zum Geburtstag!

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Gute
Assemble the sentence. Sentence Reorder

Reorder the words:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ist heute etwas Schlimmes passiert?
Find the best German translation for the English phrase. Translation

Translate: 'Outfit check! Nothing special.'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Outfit-Check! Nichts Besonderes.
Which sentence correctly contrasts people vs. things? Multiple Choice

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Jemand ist an der Tür.
Fix the grammar error. Error Correction

Sie hat alles teures gekauft.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Sie hat alles Teure gekauft.

Score: /12

FAQ (8)

No, they are invariant.

No, use 'jemand'.

It is a nominalized adjective.

No, it is singular.

No, that's a double negative.

Yes, they are standard.

'Alles' is for things, 'alle' for people.

'Etwas Schönes'.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

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In Other Languages

Spanish high

algo, nada, todo

Spanish requires double negation (No tengo nada).

French high

quelque chose, rien, tout

French requires 'ne...rien' for negation.

Japanese moderate

nanika, nanimo, subete

Japanese word order is SOV.

Arabic moderate

shay, la shay, kull shay

Arabic is gendered.

Chinese low

yidian, shenme dou bu, suoyou

Chinese has no verb conjugation.

English high

something, nothing, everything

English doesn't capitalize adjectives.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
German Dative Relative Pronouns (dem, der, denen)
Next
Whose? Genitive Relative Pronouns (dessen, deren)

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Lebensmittel immer teurer: Was tun gegen Inflation? | hart aber fair 17:39

Lebensmittel immer teurer: Was tun gegen Inflation? | hart aber fair

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