How to Say "someone" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “someone” is “alguien” — use 'alguien' when referring to an unspecified person in a general sense, similar to 'somebody' or 'anyone' in questions..
alguien
/al-gyen//ˈal.ɣjen/
Examples
¿Hay alguien en casa?
Is anyone home?
Alguien llamó por teléfono.
Someone called on the phone.
Necesito hablar con alguien que sepa de computadoras.
I need to talk to someone who knows about computers.
The Opposite of 'Nadie'
'Alguien' means 'someone.' Its direct opposite is 'nadie,' which means 'no one' or 'nobody'.
Always Singular, Always the Same
'Alguien' always refers to one person and never changes its spelling for plurals or gender.
Using the 'Personal a'
When 'alguien' is the one receiving an action from a verb, you usually need to put 'a' in front of it. For example, 'Vi a alguien' (I saw someone).
Using in Negative Sentences
Mistake: “No vi a alguien.”
Correction: For negative sentences, you must switch to its opposite: 'No vi a nadie' (I didn't see anyone).
Trying to Change its Gender
Mistake: “Busco a alguiena inteligente.”
Correction: The word 'alguien' never changes. It works for any person. Say: 'Busco a alguien inteligente'.
alguno
ahl-GOO-noh/alˈgu.no/
Examples
Si ves a mis amigos, ¿vino alguno?
If you saw my friends, did any (of them) come?
Algunas son más difíciles que otras.
Some (of them) are more difficult than others.
Yo no conozco a ninguno, pero mi hermana conoce a alguno.
I don't know anyone, but my sister knows someone.
Standing Alone
As a pronoun, 'alguno' replaces the noun and stands alone. Crucially, when standing alone, the full form 'alguno' is used, even for singular masculine references.
uno
/oo-no//ˈu.no/
Examples
Uno nunca sabe qué va a pasar en la vida.
One never knows what's going to happen in life.
En esa situación, uno tiene que ser fuerte.
In that situation, you have to be strong.
A veces uno no sabe qué decir.
Sometimes one doesn't know what to say.
Talking About 'People in General'
This use of 'uno' is a common way to make general statements about life. It's like saying 'one' or 'you' in English when you're not talking about a specific person.
Gender Agreement
Mistake: “Una debe ser honesta.”
Correction: Uno debe ser honesto. Even when a woman is speaking about her own general experience, it's very common to stick with the masculine 'uno' for this impersonal meaning.
Choosing Between 'Alguien' and 'Alguno'
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