Indefinite Pronouns in Portuguese: Usage and Examples

Introduction

Indefinite pronouns are essential building blocks in Portuguese that help you express ideas about unspecified people, things, or quantities. Whether you want to say someone, something, anyone, or nothing, mastering these pronouns will dramatically improve your fluency and allow you to communicate with greater precision and naturalness in everyday conversations.

Understanding Indefinite Pronouns in Portuguese

Indefinite pronouns, known as pronomes indefinidos in Portuguese, refer to people, objects, or quantities in a vague or general way. Unlike definite pronouns that point to specific things, pronomes indefinidos keep things intentionally non-specific. They answer questions like who?, what?, or how much? without providing exact details.

In English, we use words like somebody, everything, few, and several as indefinite pronouns. Portuguese has its own rich set of these pronouns, and understanding them is crucial because they appear constantly in both spoken and written Portuguese. The good news is that once you grasp the patterns, using pronomes indefinidos becomes quite intuitive.

These pronouns serve multiple functions in sentences. They can act as subjects, direct objects, or even complements. Their versatility makes them indispensable for expressing uncertainty, generalization, or simply when you don’t want to or can’t specify exactly who or what you’re talking about.

Common Indefinite Pronouns for People

Alguém and Ninguém

The pronoun alguém means someone or somebody and is one of the most frequently used indefinite pronouns in Portuguese. It’s invariable, meaning it never changes form regardless of gender or number. You’ll use alguém when referring to an unspecified person in affirmative sentences or questions.

Examples:
Alguém bateu na porta. (Someone knocked on the door.)
Você viu alguém na festa? (Did you see anyone at the party?)
Preciso falar com alguém urgente. (I need to talk to someone urgently.)

On the opposite end, ninguém means nobody or no one. Like alguém, it’s invariable and stands alone. An important point to remember: Portuguese uses double negatives naturally, so you’ll often see ninguém with another negative word like não.

Examples:
Ninguém respondeu minha mensagem. (Nobody answered my message.)
Não vi ninguém conhecido lá. (I didn’t see anyone I knew there.)
Ninguém sabe a resposta. (No one knows the answer.)

Todo Mundo and Qualquer Um

While technically a combination of words rather than a single pronoun, todo mundo functions as an indefinite pronoun meaning everyone or everybody. It’s extremely common in conversational Portuguese and takes a singular verb despite referring to multiple people.

Examples:
Todo mundo está feliz hoje. (Everyone is happy today.)
Todo mundo sabe disso. (Everybody knows that.)
Vou convidar todo mundo para a festa. (I’m going to invite everyone to the party.)

The expression qualquer um means anyone or anybody and implies that it doesn’t matter which person. It can vary: qualquer um (masculine), qualquer uma (feminine), quaisquer uns (masculine plural), quaisquer umas (feminine plural), though the singular forms are most common.

Examples:
Qualquer um pode fazer isso. (Anyone can do this.)
Qualquer uma dessas opções está boa. (Any of these options is fine.)
Não é um trabalho para qualquer um. (It’s not a job for just anyone.)

Indefinite Pronouns for Things

Algo and Nada

When referring to unspecified things rather than people, algo and nada are your go-to pronouns. Algo means something and appears in affirmative contexts or questions.

Examples:
Preciso te contar algo importante. (I need to tell you something important.)
Você quer algo para beber? (Do you want something to drink?)
Tem algo errado aqui. (There’s something wrong here.)

Nada means nothing and, like ninguém, often appears with double negatives in Portuguese. It’s one of the most versatile words in the language and can even be used as an adverb meaning not at all.

Examples:
Não encontrei nada na loja. (I found nothing at the store.)
Nada pode me parar agora. (Nothing can stop me now.)
Ele não disse nada. (He didn’t say anything.)
O filme não foi nada interessante. (The film wasn’t interesting at all.)

Tudo

The pronoun tudo means everything or all and refers to things in a comprehensive way. It’s singular and neuter, never changing form. Portuguese speakers use tudo constantly in everyday speech.

Examples:
Tudo está pronto para a viagem. (Everything is ready for the trip.)
Ela sabe tudo sobre esse assunto. (She knows everything about this subject.)
Tudo bem? (Is everything okay? / How are you?)
Vou comer tudo! (I’m going to eat everything!)

Note that tudo bem is one of the most common greetings in Portuguese, literally meaning everything well but functioning as how are you? or is everything okay?

Quantitative Indefinite Pronouns

Muito, Pouco, and Bastante

Portuguese has several pronouns that express quantity without specifying exact amounts. Muito means much, many, or a lot. As a pronoun, it can vary in gender and number: muito (masculine singular), muita (feminine singular), muitos (masculine plural), muitas (feminine plural).

Examples:
Muitos acreditam nisso. (Many believe this.)
Ela tem muita paciência. (She has a lot of patience.)
Muitas pessoas vieram à festa. (Many people came to the party.)
Não tenho muito tempo. (I don’t have much time.)

Pouco is the opposite, meaning little, few, or not much. It also varies: pouco, pouca, poucos, poucas.

Examples:
Poucos sabem a verdade. (Few know the truth.)
Tenho pouca experiência nessa área. (I have little experience in this area.)
Poucas vezes eu vejo isso. (I rarely see this. / Few times I see this.)
Restou pouco dinheiro. (Little money remained.)

Bastante means enough, quite a bit, or plenty. Unlike muito and pouco, when used as a pronoun, bastante can be invariable in some contexts, though it often takes plural form bastantes.

Examples:
Tenho bastante trabalho hoje. (I have quite a bit of work today.)
Bastantes pessoas compareceram. (Quite a few people showed up.)
Isso é bastante para mim. (That’s enough for me.)
Há bastante comida na geladeira. (There’s plenty of food in the fridge.)

Vários and Alguns

Vários means several or various and always appears in plural form: vários (masculine) and várias (feminine). It suggests a moderate, unspecified number of things or people.

Examples:
Vários alunos faltaram hoje. (Several students were absent today.)
Já visitei várias cidades europeias. (I’ve already visited several European cities.)
Tenho várias ideias para o projeto. (I have several ideas for the project.)
Vários de nós discordaram. (Several of us disagreed.)

Alguns means some or a few and also varies: alguns (masculine plural), algumas (feminine plural), algum (masculine singular), alguma (feminine singular). The plural forms are more common as indefinite pronouns.

Examples:
Alguns dizem que é verdade. (Some say it’s true.)
Algumas pessoas preferem o verão. (Some people prefer summer.)
Comprei algumas frutas no mercado. (I bought some fruits at the market.)
Algum de vocês sabe a resposta? (Do any of you know the answer?)

Totality and Distribution

Todo and Cada

The pronoun todo expresses totality and can mean all, every, or whole. It varies in gender and number: todo, toda, todos, todas. When followed by a definite article, it means all or the whole; without an article, it means every.

Examples:
Todos merecem respeito. (Everyone deserves respect.)
Toda cidade tem seus problemas. (Every city has its problems.)
Todo o país celebrou a vitória. (The whole country celebrated the victory.)
Todas as minhas amigas vieram. (All my friends came.)

Cada means each or every and emphasizes individual members of a group. It’s invariable and always singular, typically followed by a singular noun.

Examples:
Cada pessoa tem suas características. (Each person has their own characteristics.)
Cada um faz o que pode. (Each one does what they can.)
Os ingressos custam vinte reais cada. (The tickets cost twenty reais each.)
Cada dia é uma nova oportunidade. (Each day is a new opportunity.)

Ambos and Nenhum

Ambos means both and refers specifically to two things or people. It varies: ambos (masculine) and ambas (feminine). It’s more common in written or formal Portuguese than in everyday speech.

Examples:
Ambos os candidatos são qualificados. (Both candidates are qualified.)
Ambas as opções são válidas. (Both options are valid.)
Gostei de ambos os filmes. (I liked both movies.)
Ambas estão corretas. (Both are correct.)

Nenhum means none, no, or not any and is the negative counterpart to algum. It varies: nenhum, nenhuma, nenhuns (rare), nenhumas (rare). The singular forms are most common.

Examples:
Nenhum de nós sabia a resposta. (None of us knew the answer.)
Não tenho nenhuma dúvida. (I have no doubt.)
Nenhum problema! (No problem!)
Não encontrei nenhuma informação sobre isso. (I found no information about this.)

Special Cases and Compound Forms

Qualquer and Its Variations

We’ve already seen qualquer um, but qualquer is versatile and combines with other words to create different meanings. On its own, qualquer means any or whatever. Its plural form is quaisquer, though this is less commonly used.

Examples:
Qualquer coisa serve. (Anything will do.)
Em qualquer lugar do mundo. (Anywhere in the world.)
A qualquer momento. (At any moment.)
Quaisquer dúvidas, me procure. (Any questions, come find me.)

Common expressions with qualquer include qualquer coisa (anything), de qualquer jeito (anyway / in any case), and a qualquer hora (at any time).

Outrem and Certo

Outrem is a formal and somewhat archaic pronoun meaning someone else or others. You’ll rarely hear it in everyday conversation, but it appears in legal documents, literature, and formal writing.

Examples:
Não faça a outrem o que não quer para si. (Don’t do unto others what you wouldn’t want for yourself.)
A responsabilidade é de outrem. (The responsibility belongs to someone else.)
Os bens de outrem devem ser respeitados. (The property of others must be respected.)

Certo can function as an indefinite pronoun meaning certain or some when used before a noun. It varies: certo, certa, certos, certas. Note that its meaning changes depending on position: before the noun, it’s indefinite; after the noun, it means correct or right.

Examples:
Certo dia, tudo mudou. (One day / A certain day, everything changed.)
Certas pessoas não entendem. (Some people don’t understand.)
Em certos momentos, é melhor calar. (At certain moments, it’s better to be quiet.)
Tenho certa dúvida sobre isso. (I have some doubt about this.)

Using Indefinite Pronouns in Context

In Questions and Negative Sentences

Indefinite pronouns behave differently in questions and negative sentences. In questions, pronouns like alguém and algo are perfectly natural, whereas in English we might prefer anyone or anything.

Examples:
Você viu alguém suspeito? (Did you see anyone suspicious?)
Tem algo que eu possa fazer? (Is there anything I can do?)
Algum de vocês sabe dirigir? (Do any of you know how to drive?)

In negative sentences, remember that Portuguese embraces double negatives. You’ll frequently see não paired with ninguém, nada, or nenhum.

Examples:
Não vi ninguém na rua. (I didn’t see anyone on the street.)
Não há nada de errado. (There’s nothing wrong.)
Não tenho nenhum interesse nisso. (I have no interest in that.)
Não sobrou nada para mim. (Nothing was left for me.)

Agreement and Gender Considerations

Many indefinite pronouns in Portuguese must agree in gender and number with what they refer to. This is crucial for sounding natural. When in doubt, pay attention to the context and what noun the pronoun is replacing or modifying.

Compare these pairs:
Alguns livros estão na mesa. (Some books are on the table.)
Algumas revistas estão na mesa. (Some magazines are on the table.)

Muitos acreditam nisso. (Many [people, masculine or mixed] believe this.)
Muitas acreditam nisso. (Many [women/feminine group] believe this.)

Some pronouns like alguém, ninguém, tudo, and nada are invariable and never change, making them easier to use consistently.

Position in Sentences

Indefinite pronouns can occupy various positions in Portuguese sentences. As subjects, they typically appear at the beginning, but Portuguese word order is relatively flexible, especially in spoken language.

Examples:
Alguém precisa resolver isso. (Someone needs to solve this.)
Preciso de alguém para me ajudar. (I need someone to help me.)
Isso não interessa a ninguém. (This interests nobody.)

Tudo está funcionando bem. (Everything is working well.)
Ela fez tudo sozinha. (She did everything alone.)
De tudo o que vi, isso foi o melhor. (Of everything I saw, this was the best.)

Common Expressions with Indefinite Pronouns

Everyday Phrases You’ll Hear

Portuguese speakers use indefinite pronouns in countless idiomatic expressions. Learning these will make your Portuguese sound more natural and help you understand native speakers better.

Common expressions:
Qualquer coisa, me liga. (If anything comes up, call me.)
Tudo bem? (How are you? / Is everything okay?)
Nada a ver! (Nothing to do with it! / That’s unrelated! / No way!)
De nada. (You’re welcome.)
Algo me diz que… (Something tells me that…)
Cada um na sua. (Each person to their own / Mind your own business.)

More expressions:
Tudo de bom! (All the best!)
Ninguém é perfeito. (Nobody’s perfect.)
Todo mundo faz isso. (Everyone does that.)
Qualquer dia desses. (One of these days / Any day now.)
Nada disso! (None of that! / Nothing of the sort!)
Acima de tudo. (Above all.)

Regional and Cultural Usage Notes

While the indefinite pronouns covered here are standard across Portuguese-speaking regions, there are some usage preferences worth noting. Brazilian Portuguese tends to favor todo mundo over the more formal todos in everyday speech. You’ll hear todo mundo está (everyone is) much more often than todos estão in casual conversation.

The pronoun nada has evolved into an incredibly versatile word in Brazilian Portuguese. Beyond meaning nothing, it’s used as a casual way to say you’re welcome (short for de nada), as an emphatic negative (não é nada disso = it’s nothing like that), and even as a filler word in some regions.

Expressions with qualquer are particularly popular in colloquial speech. You’ll frequently hear qualquer coisa used not just to mean anything, but also as a way to be vague or dismissive about something. Similarly, de qualquer jeito can mean anyway, but also implies doing something carelessly or without much effort.

Practice Tips for Mastering Indefinite Pronouns

Building Your Intuition

The best way to internalize indefinite pronouns is through exposure and practice. Start by identifying them in authentic Portuguese content like songs, movies, or conversations. Pay attention to how native speakers use them naturally. Notice patterns: which pronouns appear together, which contexts call for which pronouns, and how they flow in sentences.

Create example sentences using each pronoun in different contexts. Write about your daily life: Hoje não vi ninguém conhecido (Today I didn’t see anyone I knew), Comprei algumas coisas no mercado (I bought some things at the market), Todo mundo estava feliz na festa (Everyone was happy at the party).

Practice the variable pronouns (muito, pouco, todo, algum, nenhum) by making sure you can quickly switch between masculine, feminine, singular, and plural forms. This gender and number agreement becomes automatic with repetition.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

One frequent error is forgetting to use double negatives with negative indefinite pronouns. In English, we say I saw nobody or I didn’t see anybody, but Portuguese requires: Eu não vi ninguém. Missing that não sounds incorrect to native speakers.

Another common mistake is using the wrong form of variable pronouns. Remember that muito, pouco, algum, nenhum, and todo must match the gender and number of what they refer to. Muita pessoas is wrong; it should be muitas pessoas because pessoas is feminine plural.

Don’t confuse todo (every/all) with tudo (everything). Todo is an adjective that varies and modifies nouns, while tudo is an invariable pronoun that stands alone. You say todo mundo (everyone) but tudo bem (everything well).

Be careful with cada, which is always singular. It’s cada pessoa, never cada pessoas. Similarly, cada um (each one) is singular even though it might feel plural in meaning.

Advanced Usage and Nuances

Subtle Differences in Meaning

Some indefinite pronouns have subtle differences that become important as you advance in Portuguese. For example, alguns and vários both mean some or several, but vários typically implies a larger quantity. Alguns alunos might be two or three students, while vários alunos suggests more, perhaps five or more.

Similarly, bastante and muito both indicate large quantities, but bastante often carries a sense of sufficiency or adequacy. Tenho muito trabalho simply states you have a lot of work, while tenho bastante trabalho might imply you have enough work or even more than enough.

The choice between todo and cada also involves nuance. Todo aluno emphasizes the collective whole (every student, as a group), while cada aluno emphasizes individual members (each student, one by one). This difference is subtle but affects the tone of your message.

Combining Indefinite Pronouns

Portuguese allows you to combine indefinite pronouns for emphasis or precision. Common combinations include cada um (each one), cada qual (each which one), qualquer um (anyone), and seja quem for (whoever it may be).

Examples:
Cada um sabe de si. (Each one knows about themselves.)
Cada qual com seus problemas. (Each one with their own problems.)
Qualquer um pode tentar. (Anyone can try.)
Seja quem for, não vou atender. (Whoever it is, I won’t answer.)

You can also combine quantitative pronouns for more specific meanings: muitos poucos doesn’t work, but muito pouco (very little) and tão pouco (so little) are common. Similarly, tantos outros (so many others) and alguns outros (some others) are useful constructions.

Indefinite Pronouns in Different Registers

Formal vs. Informal Usage

The register you’re speaking or writing in affects which indefinite pronouns you should use. Formal Portuguese tends to prefer todos over todo mundo, nada over colloquial alternatives, and maintains more careful agreement with gender and number.

In formal writing:
Todos os participantes devem comparecer. (All participants must attend.)
Nenhum dos candidatos atende aos requisitos. (None of the candidates meets the requirements.)
Alguns membros manifestaram preocupação. (Some members expressed concern.)

In informal speech:
Todo mundo tem que vir. (Everyone has to come.)
Ninguém serve para o trabalho. (Nobody is suitable for the job.)
Uns caras estavam preocupados. (Some guys were worried.)

Notice how informal Portuguese might use uns (some) more loosely, sometimes even with specific nouns like uns caras (some guys), while formal Portuguese sticks to standard pronouns.

Written vs. Spoken Portuguese

Spoken Portuguese tends to simplify and use more general indefinite pronouns. You’ll hear tudo, nada, todo mundo, and ninguém far more often than their more specific alternatives. Written Portuguese, especially in formal contexts, employs the full range of indefinite pronouns with proper agreement.

In conversation, Brazilians often reduce or contract expressions: tá tudo instead of está tudo, tem nada não instead of não tem nada. These colloquialisms are natural in spoken language but should be avoided in formal writing.

Conclusion

Mastering indefinite pronouns in Portuguese opens up new dimensions of expression and comprehension. These versatile words allow you to speak and write with appropriate levels of specificity, navigate uncertainty with confidence, and sound more natural in both formal and informal contexts. By understanding the nuances of pronomes indefinidos, practicing their agreement patterns, and learning common expressions, you’ll significantly enhance your Portuguese fluency and be better equipped to communicate effectively in any situation.