Thread: "что-нибудь" против "кое-что".

Привет!

Сегодня я нашел фразу "я хочу Вас кое-что спросить = I want to ask you something".
As I foreigner for me is more reasonable to use the phrase: я хочу Вас что-нибудь спросить".
My question can also include why I shouldn't use the phrase: "Я хочу что-то спросить" but for now I want to focus on кое-что.
Please provide examples.

Both means "I want to ask you something", but
"Я хочу у Вас кое-что спросить"/"Я хочу спросить Вас кое о чём" - I have a question and i want to ask this question.
"Я хочу у Вас что-нибудь спросить"/"Я хочу спросить Вас o чём-нибудь" - I have no questions, but i want to talk with you.

There have been so many topics dedicated to this very question (кое-, -то, -либо, -нибудь). Try searching for some of them on this forum.
Briefly:
Я хочу кое-что спросить. - I want to ask something, and I know what it is, but I am not telling you right now (maybe I'll tell it later, but at this very moment it is like a secret or a surprise).
Я хочу что-то спросить. - I want to ask something, and I do not know what it is (does not make too much sense in this context).
Я хочу что-нибудь (что-либо) спросить. - I want to ask something, and I do not care what it is (just anything).

The following example gives more clarity:
Он по утрам кое-что читает. - In the morning he reads something. I know what he reads. You do not know. For some reason, I am not telling you WHAT he reads.
Он по утрам что-то читает. - In the morning he reads something. I do not know what he reads, I only know the fact he READS something.
Он по утрам что-нибудь читает. - In the morning he reads something. Different stuff: today this one, tomorrow that one etc. Just anything. Whatever.

Thank you.
I have found the topics.
Next time before I ask about something popular I will search it.

I have found the explanation for кто-нибудь and кто-то:

1. кто-нибудь is usually used in questions, conditionals, commands and statements in the future.

2. кто-то is usually used in statements in the past.

Sounds reasonable to you?

More or less. 3rd item is missing How about Present?
Кто-то орёт за окном. - Someone screams outside.
Кто-то режет в потёмках кого-то

And it is obviously said about subject. But pronouns can be at any place in sentences:
А сейчас я кого-нибудь съем!
Ты вообще хоть о ком-то думаешь, кроме как о себе?

So the rule seems useful but use it wisely.