quelque chose

Something with Quelque Chose

Level 2

In French, you cannot put an adjective directly after the pronoun quelque chose. You must use the linker de (or d' before a vowel) followed by a masculine singular adjective.

How It Works

The phrase quelque chose (something) is an indefinite pronoun. Unlike regular nouns, it requires a specific grammatical bridge to connect to an adjective.

Key rules to remember:

  • The Linker: You must always include de. Without it, the sentence is ungrammatical.
  • Elision: If the adjective starts with a vowel or a mute 'h', de becomes d'.
  • Gender Agreement: Even though the word chose (thing) is feminine, the compound pronoun quelque chose is always masculine singular. Therefore, the adjective must always be in its masculine form.
  • Register: This structure is used in every level of French, from casual chat to formal writing.

Examples (5)

  1. Je veux manger quelque chose de bon.

    I want to eat something good.

    Word by Word: I want to eat something of good.

    Notice the 'de' before 'bon'. Even if referring to a 'pomme' (feminine), we use the masculine 'bon'.

  2. Il y a quelque chose de bizarre ici.

    There is something strange here.

    Word by Word: It there has something of strange here.

    The adjective 'bizarre' follows 'de' to describe the 'something'.

  3. Elle a acheté quelque chose d'intéressant.

    She bought something interesting.

    Word by Word: She has bought something of interesting.

    Because 'intéressant' starts with a vowel, 'de' becomes 'd''.

  4. Cherches-tu quelque chose de particulier ?

    Are you looking for something special?

    Word by Word: Search you something of particular?

    A common question structure using the 'de + adjective' pattern.

  5. C'est quelque chose de nouveau pour moi.

    It's something new for me.

    Word by Word: It is something of new for me.

    Even if the 'new thing' is a concept or a feminine object, 'nouveau' remains masculine.

Common Mistakes

  • Omitting the 'de' linker.

    J'ai vu quelque chose intéressant.
    J'ai vu quelque chose d'intéressant.

    In English, we say 'something interesting'. In French, you must say 'something OF interesting'.

  • Using feminine agreement because 'chose' is feminine.

    C'est quelque chose de bonne.
    C'est quelque chose de bon.

    While the noun 'une chose' is feminine, the pronoun 'quelque chose' is always masculine singular.

  • Spelling 'quelque chose' as one word.

    Je cherche quelquechose de bleu.
    Je cherche quelque chose de bleu.

    'Quelque chose' must always be written as two separate words.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

quelque choseLevel 2Something with Quelque Chose

Learn This First

To use 'quelque chose' correctly with a description, you need to understand how to link it to an adjective using the preposition 'de'. You should also be familiar with how adjectives usually behave in French and the fact that 'quelque chose' is treated as a masculine noun for agreement purposes.

Words in This Pattern

quelque chose