The difference between "some" and "any" in English
Que diferencia hay entre SOME y ANY? Cuales son sus usos y en que ocaciones los utilizamos? Los significados de Somebody, somewhere, someday, somehow, someone, something y somewhat, etc con some. Los significados de anybody, anyday, anywhere, anyhow, anyone, etc con any. gracias espero pronto sus respuestas....
8 Answers
Any with plural and uncountable nouns
Any is normally used with plural and uncountable nouns in questions, negative and conditional sentences:
Do we have any beer? ~ Yes, we do. It's in the fridge. Do we have any glasses? ~ Yes, we do. They're in the cupboard.
I don't have any heavy luggage. Just hand luggage ~ No suitcases? No, I don't have any suitcases.
If you need any help with your packing, just let me know. If your hand luggage contains any knives or scissors, they will be confiscated.
With this usage, in these examples, we would normally require a/an before a singular countable noun:
Have you got a glass for the beer? Have you got a vase for the flowers? I don't have a suitcase, just hand luggage. If your hand luggage contains a knife or a pair of scissors, they will be confiscated.
We would not normally say:
Have you got any glass for the beer?
Have you got any vase for the flowers?
I don't have any suitcase, just hand luggage.
If your hand luggage contains any knife or any pair of scissors, they will be confiscated.
Any with singular countable nouns
However, when we want to emphasise that any means of any kind, it is quite natural to use any with singular uncountable nouns. So any query - meaning any kind of query - is a justifiable alternative to any queries:
If you have any queries about the trip to the Philippines, please ask me.
If you have any query about the trip to the Philippines, please ask me.
To emphasise any query a bit more, we could also say:
If you have any query whatsoever - it doesn't matter what it is - please ask me.
Note also the following examples of this kind of use:
You should see a doctor. Any doctor will be able to help you. You don't need a specialist.
Which newspaper would you like? ~ Any newspaper, as long as it's a broadsheet.
Where does he normally play? ~ He normally plays in defence, but he can play in any position.
I work from home so I can do my work at any hour of the day or night.
This is a book which any eleven-year-old should be able to understand.
Some or any in questions?
Note that we tend to use some instead of any when we expect a positive answer to the questions we are asking:
Would you like some more pasta and salad? ~ No more thanks. I'm quite full.
Don't you need some new clothes for when you start your new job? ~ Yes, I do. I need a whole new wardrobe.
Shall I send you some information about our new products? ~ Yes, please do.
Could you get me some rice when you go shopping? ~ What sort would you like? ~ Any sort.
Not any and no
Note that any by itself does not have a negative meaning. It is only when it is combined with not to make not any that it becomes negative. No has the same meaning as not any, but is more emphatic.
Compare the following:
He has no money and no hope for the future.
He doesn't have any money or any hope for the future.
Note also that at the beginning of a sentence, we are obliged to use no. We cannot use not any to start a sentence:
I don't have any luggage ~ No luggage at all?
No tourists visited the island that summer.
No computer is safe from this virus.
My answer is not as long as Ian's but mine is more "cut to the chase":
The difference is that when you use "some" if like a generic term and usually refers the the custom about, what they usually serve. But when you use "any" means that you have more than one option and you could decide for a specific one or goes for the "some" option. In any could be black coffee or coffee with cream. etc.
Yo creo que some y any significan lo mismo: alguno/alguna. La única diferencia es que some se usa para frases afirmativas y any para frases negativas e interrogativas.
Somebody = someone: alguien Somewhere: algún sitio/lugar/lado Someday: algún día Somehow: de alguna manera, por alguna razón Something: algo Somewhat: algo/un tanto
Anybody=anyone: nadie Anyday: cualquier día Anywhere: en cualquier sitio/lugar/lado Anyhow: de cualquier manera Anything: nada
Some - a certain number (like 20 or 10), at least one Any - at least one, but no set amount
Some is more definite. Any sounds more desperate.
Basically, "any" is used for something that is nearly uncountable like sand. "Some" is used for things that are countable like bottles. There are cases where you can use either one.
La diferencia es que SOME es un poco de algo y ANY es justo un pedazo aleatorio de algo
Si necesita otra cosa se siente por favor libre contactarme en magicalpinkunicornoddoom@hotmail.com que sé inglés (lengua materna) y español
Adios,
Ash =3
Some refers to a Quantity or a cantidad which is unknown - like Some people are coming. You don't know exactly how many but u know WHO (quien ) is coming . Someday meaning a particular day that you don't know but it will happen.
Any is more unknown regarding Tiempo y Quien . Anyone is coming is that you dont know who will come but someone will come but you don't know who.
Some - No Sabe Cantidad o Tiempo sino que Sabe Quien que viene. Any - No Sabe Tiempo y Quien sino que sabe Cantidad .
Hola,
Una forma resumida de explicarlo puede ser "some" es "algún" y "any" es "cualquier"...
I am sure more people will weigh in and help you more.
