In French, certain indefinite adjectives refer to unspecified people or things, indicate absence, or express similarity and difference. They convey meanings such as a certain person, no response, the same room, or other questions.
For indefinite adjectives that express quantities, see Indefinite adjectives.
Referring to unspecified people or things
Use certain, quelconque, or expressions such as je ne sais quel to refer to a person or thing without identifying it precisely.
The following table presents these indefinite adjectives and their English equivalents.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| certain | certain, a particular |
| quelconque | any, some |
| quel | what, which (in indefinite expressions) |
The following examples illustrate how these indefinite adjectives are used in context:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Il a donné un motif quelconque. | He gave some reason or other. |
| Elle retrouve une certaine librairie du quartier. | She finds a certain bookstore in the neighborhood again. |
| Le douanier invoque je ne sais quelle raison. | The customs officer cites some reason or other. |
Quelconque can also function as a descriptive adjective meaning ordinary, unremarkable, or mediocre. In this context, it describes something that lacks distinctive qualities.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Le repas était quelconque. | The meal was mediocre. |
Expressing absence with nul
Nul and its feminine form nulle express the complete absence of something.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| nul | no, not a single |
They are similar in meaning to aucun and aucune and are primarily used in formal or literary French.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Nulle réponse n'est arrivée. | Not a single reply arrived. |
| Nous n'avons reçu nulle nouvelle. | We received no news at all. |
In this usage, nul emphasizes that not even one instance exists. This differs from its use as a descriptive adjective meaning bad or incompetent, which is not covered here.
Expressing identity, similarity, and difference
The adjectives même, tel, autre, and différent establish relationships between people, objects, or ideas. They indicate whether something is identical, similar, of a particular kind, or distinct from something else.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| même | same |
| tel | such |
| autre | other, another |
| différent | different, various |
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Ils ont réservé la même chambre. | They booked the same room. |
| Le directeur écarte une telle proposition. | The director sets aside such a proposal. |
| Le comité pose d'autres questions. | The committee asks other questions. |
| Les avis différents ont été notés. | The differing opinions were written down. |
These adjectives serve different purposes: même indicates identity, tel refers to something of a particular kind, autre introduces an alternative or additional element, and différent highlights a distinction.
From learning to practice
Pay attention to these adjectives in news reports, formal discussions, and everyday descriptions. Notice how they help speakers refer to unspecified people or situations, emphasize absence, and establish similarities or differences between people, objects, and ideas.
Recognizing these distinctions will help you interpret French more accurately and express nuanced meanings in your own communication.