Etwas, nichts, jemand, niemand
"Something," "nothing," "someone," "no one" - you've used etwas a few times already (Lesson 68's "etwas gegen Kopfschmerzen") without the full set named. These four words are simple, invariable, and genuinely frequent.
| etwas | something |
| nichts | nothing |
| jemand | someone |
| niemand | no one |
Unlike almost everything else in German grammar so far, these don't decline for gender or (typically, at A1-2) case - genuinely easy vocabulary once you know the meanings.
Haben Sie etwas gegen Kopfschmerzen? (Lesson 68)
Ich habe nichts gefunden. (I found nothing.)
Kann mir jemand helfen? (Can someone help me?)
Niemand ist zu Hause. (No one is home.)
A useful combo: etwas plus a capitalized adjective describes an unspecified thing with a quality - genuinely handy for vague descriptions:
Ich möchte etwas Warmes trinken. (I'd like to drink something warm.)
1. "Can someone help me?" - Kann mir ______ helfen?
2. "No one is home." - ______ ist zu Hause.
3. "I found nothing." - Ich habe ______ gefunden.
4. Do these four words decline for gender or case at this level?
5. "Something warm" - etwas ______.
Cross-checked against the Goethe-Institut A1 practice materials.
Want more practice combining these with real situations? Ask your teaching agent.