What are Indefinite Pronouns?
Indefinite pronouns refer to unspecified or non-specific people, things, or quantities. In French, they include on (one/we), quelque chose (something), rien (nothing), tout (everything), and personne (nobody), used when the referent is unclear or general.
Indefinite pronouns refer to people or things without identifying them specifically. French forms include: on (one/we), quelque chose (something), rien (nothing), tout (everything), personne (nobody), quelqu'un (someone), and aucun (none).
- •on = one, we, they (people, general)
- •quelqu'un = someone, anybody
- •quelque chose = something, anything
- •tout = everything
- •personne = nobody, no one
- •rien = nothing, not anything
- •aucun = none, not a single one
Step-by-step worked examples
Someone called me yesterday.
Quelqu'un m'a appelé hier. (indefinite pronoun: we don't know who, but someone did the action)
I didn't see anything.
Je n'ai rien vu. (negative indefinite: rien combines with ne for negation)
Everyone likes chocolate.
Tout le monde aime le chocolat. / On aime tous le chocolat. (indefinite expressing general/universal reference)
Flashcards
Quick quiz
Q1.French for 'someone'?
Q2.'Nothing' (with ne)?
Q3.Which means 'everyone' or 'people in general'?
Q4.Fill blank: '___ m'a dit cela.'
The full card deck, worked steps and AI-tutor support for “What are Indefinite Pronouns?” are in Notek — study by hand before your exam.
Common mistakes
Using rien without ne. — Correct: rien requires ne: Je n'ai rien. (NOT 'J'ai rien.')
Confusing quelqu'un and quelque chose. — Correct: quelqu'un = someone (person); quelque chose = something (thing).
Forgetting on can mean 'we' or 'one.' — Correct: on is very flexible: On va au cinéma = We're going to the movies.
Thinking all indefinites require ne. — Correct: Only rien, personne, and aucun require ne; quelqu'un and quelque chose do not.
FAQ
What is an indefinite pronoun in French?
A pronoun referring to unspecified people or things: quelqu'un, rien, personne, tout, on, etc.
What is the difference between quelque chose and quelqu'un?
quelque chose = something (inanimate); quelqu'un = someone (person).
When do you use on vs nous?
on is more common in speech (= we/one); nous is more formal. On is also used impersonally.
Does tout always refer to everything?
tout can mean everything (Tout est là) or everyone (Tous sont ici); context determines the meaning.