irgendwelche
some / any
Refers to several unspecified people or things from a group; the exact selection is unknown or unimportant.
EXAMPLE
Hast du irgendwelche Fragen zu dem Thema?
Do you have any questions about the topic?
irgendwelche
some / any
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Meanings
irgendwelche
some
Refers to several people or things in a dismissive or indifferent way, expressing that they are unimportant or unknown to the speaker.
EXAMPLE
Er hat irgendwelche Ausreden erfunden, um nicht mitzukommen.
He made up some excuses to avoid coming along.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry irgendwelche, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
The four cases
| masc. | fem. | neut. | plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| nom. | irgendwelcher | irgendwelche | irgendwelches | irgendwelche |
| acc. | irgendwelchen | irgendwelche | irgendwelches | irgendwelche |
| dat. | irgendwelchem | irgendwelcher | irgendwelchem | irgendwelchen |
| gen. | irgendwelches | irgendwelcher | irgendwelches | irgendwelcher |
Usage tips
Word formation
'Irgendwelche' is made up of 'irgend-' and 'welche'. 'Irgend-' makes the selection indefinite; the exact group remains open.
EXAMPLE
Für die Reise brauche ich noch irgendwelche leichten Schuhe.
I still need some comfortable shoes for the trip.
Sentence patterns
'Irgendwelche' usually comes before a plural noun or replaces a plural noun that has already been mentioned. It is especially common in questions when it is unclear whether there are any suitable people or things at all.
EXAMPLE
Hast du irgendwelche Ideen für das Wochenende?
Do you have any ideas for the weekend?
Wenn du irgendwelche findest, leg sie bitte auf den Tisch.
If you find any, please put them on the table.
Context clue
Whether 'irgendwelche' sounds neutral or dismissive can often be recognized from the context and the emphasis. In negative statements or with an annoyed tone, it often signals that the people or things mentioned seem unimportant to the speaker.
EXAMPLE
Ständig rufen irgendwelche Leute an und wollen mir etwas verkaufen.
Some people are constantly calling and trying to sell me something.
In real life
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