Qualche, Qualcuno and Qualcosa in italiano: in some bookshop...
Qualche, Qualcuno and Qualcosa in Italian (Some, someone and something) are indefinite adjectives and pronouns, but they can be confusing for those learning the language.
For other indefinite adj. and pron., see our articles:
ALCUNI, QUALCHE, QUALCUNO in italiano
ALCUNI, QUALCHE, QUALCUNO in Italian
Let’s take a closer look at how to use them correctly.
QUALCHE, QUALCUNO, QUALCOSA in Italian: QUALCHE
Qualche is an indefinite adjective and means
a little bit of or some (alcuni/e)
It has a unique characteristic: it is always followed by a singular noun, even though it has a plural meaning.
It can be replaced by
alcuni or alcune + plural noun
Let’s see:
QUALCHE, QUALCUNO, QUALCOSA in Italian: QUALCUNO / QUALCUNA
Qualcuno (masculine) and qualcuna (feminine) are indefinite pronouns that mean
una persona/cosa non specificata
They are more commonly used for people but can also refer to things in some cases.
They can be used on their own and agree with gender:
Piero: No, ma… qualcuno mi ha parlato bene del nuovo romanzo di Bussi…
Piero: Perfetto! Chiediamo a qualcuna delle commesse se ci aiuta a trovare quello che cerchi.
Other examples:
Qualcuno ha chiamato? (→ Has someone called? – unspecified gender or masculine)
Qualcuna di voi vuole un caffè? (→ Has someone called? – feminine)
QUALCUNO as an IMPORTANT PERSON
Qalcuno at the masculine singular can also mean an important person
QUALCHE, QUALCUNO, QUALCOSA in italiano: QUALCOSA
Qualcosa is an indefinite pronoun meaning
something (an unspecified thing)
It is always singular and can be replaced by QUALCHE COSA (a less common variant).
QUALCOSA – Masculine or Feminine?
Although Qualcosa contains the word COSA (thing, feminine), it is generally considered masculine.However, the feminine form is also accepted.
When Qualcosa is followed by DI + ADJECTIVE:
the adjective is in the singular masculine form
Qualcosa is considered maschuline
However, Qualche cosa is always considered feminine:
Conclusion
The use of Qualche, Qualcuno, and Qualcosa is very common in Italian and helps to express indefinite quantities naturally..
Practising these words in real-life contexts, such as in daily conversations, will help you use them correctly and confidently.
Next time you speak Italian, try using them in your sentences!