Indefinite pronouns are used to talk about people or things in a vague or general way. Here are the main indefinite pronouns: personne, chacun, rien, tout, aucun, autre, plusieurs, certains.
Personne
- Personne n'est venu à la fête. (Nobody came to the party.)
- Je ne veux voir personne. (I don't want to see anyone.)
Chacun
Expresses the idea of distribution among several people.
- Chacun a droit à son opinion. (Each has the right to their opinion.)
- Chacun doit faire sa part. (Each must do their part.)
Rien
- Je ne regrette rien. (I regret nothing.)
- Il ne se passe rien d'intéressant. (Nothing interesting is happening.)
- Rien n'est impossible. (Nothing is impossible.)
Tout
Can mean "everything" or "anything".
- Tout est possible. (Everything is possible.)
- Il sait tout. (He knows everything.)
- Je ferais tout pour toi. (I would do anything for you.)
Aucun
Used to deny the existence of people or things in a context.
- Aucun effort n'a été inutile. (No effort was wasted.)
- Aucun étudiant n'a été absent. (No student was absent.)
Autre
Used to talk about something or someone different.
- Je ne veux pas d'autre conseil. (I don't want any other advice.)
- Cherche un autre exemple. (Look for another example.)
Plusieurs
Indicates an indefinite quantity, but more than one.
- Plusieurs personnes ont posé la même question. (Several people asked the same question.)
- J'ai lu plusieurs de ses livres. (I have read several of his books.)
Certains
Used to talk about a part of a group, without specifying which one.
- Certains d'entre vous connaissent déjà la réponse. (Some of you already know the answer.)
- Certains jours, je me sens très fatigué. (Some days, I feel very tired.)