någon

Någon is a Swedish indefinite pronoun and determiner used to refer to an unspecified person or thing. It can function as a pronoun, meaning someone or anybody, or as a determiner before a singular noun, meaning some or a certain one. The plural counterpart is någ oa, nemlig "några."

As a pronoun, någon is used to refer to an unidentified person in affirmative statements and questions. Examples: "Någon ringde nyss" (Somebody called just now). "Finns det någon som kan hjälpa mig?" (Is there anyone who can help me?). In negative contexts, the word is typically replaced by ingen rather than nå gon.

As a determiner, någon precedes a singular noun to indicate an unspecified item. Examples: "någon bok" (a book, some book), "någon gång" (at some point), "någon dag" (some day). The plural form is någ ra, meaning some or a few, as in "några dagar" (a few days). Different from en or ett constructions, någon signals indefiniteness without specifying a particular entity.

Related forms and notes: någ ont distinguishes the determiner or pronoun usage from related words. Nej, betydelserna skiljer sig: ingen is the negative counterpart meaning no one or none; något and någonting refer to “something” (neuter), while någon covers persons or, in some uses, unspecified entities; någonstans means somewhere.

Etymology and cross-language notes: någon is a core indefinite form in Swedish and has cognates in other Scandinavian languages, such as Danish nogen and Norwegian noen, reflecting common Germanic roots. See also ingen, några, något, and någonstans for related expressions.