Thread: Someone, anyone

Originally Posted by alexei90

Это лучше писать "Has anyone ever blackmailed you?" Замечай порядок слов.

So in questions is more appropriate also to use: anyone rather than someone.

Originally Posted by Antonio1986

So in questions is more appropriate also to use: anyoner rather than someone.

Yes, because it's assumed that your question is generic. You're asking someone if they've ever been blackmailed (by anyone). If you wanted to ask that someone if they've been blackmailed by a particular person, yet still remain ambiguous, you'd say "Has someone blackmailed you?" implying you know that it has happened and that it was one specific person or in reference to a particular event. Essentially, there are more known facts implied by saying "someone" over "anyone."

Originally Posted by alexei90

Yes, because it's assumed that your question is generic. You're asking someone if they've ever been blackmailed (by anyone). If you wanted to ask that someone if they've been blackmailed by a particular person, yet still remain ambiguous, you'd say "Has someone blackmailed you?" implying you know that it has happened and that it was one specific person or in reference to a particular event. Essentially, there are more known facts implied by saying "someone" over "anyone."

Much like the difference between кто-то and кто-нибудь. Although the application varies between the two languages.

Originally Posted by iCake

Much like the difference between кто-то and кто-нибудь. Although the application varies between the two languages.

I don't mean to hi-jack the thread, but could you explain that? I always thought they were interchangeable and meant "someone," whereas кто-либо meant "anyone."

Originally Posted by alexei90

I don't mean to hi-jack the thread, but could you explain that? I always thought they were interchangeable and meant "someone," whereas кто-либо meant "anyone."

No, кто-либо is just another way to say кто-нибудь. Just like there is another way to say кто-то, which is кое-кто. The last two can have slightly different meanings sometimes, not that important though. Anyway, the difference between кто-то and кто-нибудь is just like what you have described earlier:

кто-то when you have a specific person in mind, even though you might not know their identity.
кто-нибудь is when you don't have any clue or jsut don't care who that who might be, anyone will do

For more indepth explanation you can search this forum, there were many threads about these words, you can find more of my posts there even

Originally Posted by iCake

No, кто-либо is just another way to say кто-нибудь. Just like there is another way to say кто-то, which is кое-кто. The last two can have slightly different meanings sometimes, not that important though. Anyway, the difference between кто-то and кто-нибудь is just like what you have described earlier:

кто-то when you have a specific person in mind, even though you might not know their identity.
кто-нибудь is when you don't have any clue or jsut don't care who that who might be, anyone will do

For more indepth explanation you can search this forum, there were many threads about these words, you can find more of my posts there even

Ah, I see. Thank you once more. Your dual understanding is a godsend.

-то carries some definitive-ness, for that reason it is used "when you have a specific person in mind" as iCake said.


Кое- is used when you wouldn't like to tell some details.
Кое-кто заходил, пока тебя не было. (Попробуй угадать, кто это был.)
Я кое-что тебе должен вернуть. (Я знаю что, но сейчас я не хочу говорить или у меня нет времени рассказывать.)


Кто-нибудь is etymologically кто ни будь, e.i. кто бы ни был. So it literally means "any person that can ever be".
Wiktionary:
-нибудь - служит для образования местоимений со значением неопределённости, указывая на то, что говорящему безразличен выбор в имеющемся множестве вариантов


-либо is a bookish synonym of -нибудь. I could not think of an example when -либо is preferable in the spoken language.


Угодно is used in affirmative sentenses to put the emphasis:
— Кто мог это сделать? Who could do it?
— Кто угодно мог. Any person could. Everyone could.