How to Say Someone, Somewhere, Something, Somehow in Italian (with Negatives)

English has handy little words like someone, somewhere, something, and somehow. Italian has equivalents, but they change in negative sentences.
Here’s how to use them correctly.

1. Someone / Anyone → Qualcuno / Nessuno

Qualcuno = someone (singular, unknown person)

  • C’è qualcuno alla porta. → There’s someone at the door.

Nessuno = no one / anyone (used in negatives)

  • Non c’è nessuno alla porta. → There isn’t anyone at the door.

Note: Italians don’t say non c’è qualcuno — they switch to nessuno in negatives.

2. Something / Anything → Qualcosa / Niente (Nulla)

Qualcosa = something

  • Ho visto qualcosa di strano. → I saw something strange.
  • Vuoi qualcosa da bere? → Do you want something to drink?

Niente (or nulla) = nothing / anything (used in negatives)

  • Non ho visto niente (nulla). → I didn’t see anything.
  • Non voglio niente da bere. → I don’t want anything to drink.

Note: Niente and nulla are interchangeable and they both mean nothing or anything (in negatives).

Grammar note:
When you describe qualcosa (something) or niente (nothing), use di + adjective:

  • qualcosa di buono → something good
  • niente di buono → nothing good
  • qualcosa di interessante → something interesting
  • niente di interessante → nothing interesting

3. Somewhere / Anywhere → Da qualche parte / Da nessuna parte

Da qualche parte = somewhere (common in speech)

  • Ho perso le chiavi da qualche parte. → I lost the keys somewhere.

Da nessuna parte = nowhere / anywhere (used in negatives)

  • Non trovo le chiavi da nessuna parte. → I can’t find the keys anywhere.

4. Somehow / In Any Way → In qualche modo / In nessun modo

In qualche modo = somehow, in some way

  • In qualche modo risolveremo il problema. → Somehow we’ll solve the problem.

In nessun modo = in no way, not… in any way (used in negatives)Non riesco in nessun modo a risolvere il problema. → I can’t solve the problem in any way.

Recap

English (positive)ItalianEnglish (negative)Italian
someonequalcunono one / anyonenessuno
somethingqualcosanothing / anythingniente / nulla
somewhereda qualche parte / in qualche luogonowhere / anywhereda nessuna parte / in nessun luogo
somehowin qualche modoin no way / not…any wayin nessun modo

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