| 12.10.1 Comparison anyone, someone, everyone |
In English the three pronouns anyone, someone and everyone do change the meaning of a phrase when used in the same phrase.
| Wenn Du den Weg nicht kennst, warum fragst Du nicht jemanden? | |
| incorrect: incorrect: correct: |
If you don't know the way
why don't you ask anyone? If you don't know the way why don't you ask everyone? If you don't know the way why don't you ask someone? |
| Jeder kann lesen und schreiben, das ist nichts überraschendes? | |
| incorrect: correct: correct: |
Someone knows to read and write, this is not really
surprising. Everyone knows to read and write, this is not really surprising. Anyone knows to read and write, this is not really surprising. |
| Ich denke, jeder weiß, was zu tun ist. | |
| incorrect: incorrect: correct: |
I think that anyone knows what to do. I think that someone knows what to do. I think that everyone knows what to do. |
And there is - of course - all and each. All is quite
simple to translate and use in German: alle (in substantival
and adjectival use).
| Alle (Kinder) gehen gerne ins Kino. | |
| incorrect: incorrect: correct: |
Every (children) like to go to the movies. Any (children) like to go to the movies. All (children) like to go to the movies. |
Each is similar to every, but not always used the same way. For German, however, there is only one translation for both
of them: jeder.
| Jede Weinflasche ist getestet. | |
incorrect: |
Any wine
bottle is testet. Every wine bottle is testet. Each wine bottle is testet. Each human being should be free. |
Important to know is that only jeder
(einzelne) can be used adjectivally, jemand,
irgendjemand, irgendwer can be used only substantivally.
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