Indefinite Pronouns in '-то' — Russian Grammar

English someone, something, somewhere are formed in Russian by adding a particle to a question word. The most frequent particle is -то, joined with a hyphen.

Formation

(kto) - (któ-to): someone
(chtočto) - (chtó-točtó-to): something
(gde) - (gdé-to): somewhere
(kogdá) - (kogdá-to): once, at some time
(kakóykakój) - (kakóy-tokakój-to): some (kind of)

The first part declines as usual; -то never changes.

Тебе́ что́-то ну́жно?
Tebé chtó-to núzhno?Tebé čtó-to núžno?
Do you need something?
Кто́-то звони́т.
Któ-to zvonít.
Someone is calling.
Я где́-то ви́дел э́тот фильм.
Ya gdé-to vídel étot fil'm.Ja gdé-to vídel étot filʹm.
I've seen this film somewhere.
Тебе́ звони́ла кака́я-то же́нщина.
Tebé zvoníla kakáya-to zhénshchina.Tebé zvoníla kakája-to žénščina.
Some woman called you.

-то and -нибудь

-то refers to someone or something that exists but is not known or not named. -нибудь means anyone, any at all, and it is used in questions, commands and the future, when it is open which one.

(Któ-to zvoníl.) - Someone called (a particular person).
(Któ-nibud' zvoníl?Któ-nibudʹ zvoníl?) - Did anyone call?

Ты что́-нибудь хо́чешь?
Ty chtó-nibud' khóchesh'?Ty čtó-nibudʹ xóčešʹ?
Do you want anything?
Купи́ что́-нибудь на у́жин.
Kupí chtó-nibud' na úzhin.Kupí čtó-nibudʹ na úžin.
Buy something for dinner.

In Questions

In a question, -то suggests the speaker thinks there is something specific; -нибудь asks openly.

Тебе́ что́-нибудь ну́жно?
Tebé chtó-nibud' núzhno?Tebé čtó-nibudʹ núžno?
Do you need anything?

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