Some and Any

What you’ll learn

Talk about an unspecified number or amount with some and any.

និយាយអំពីចំនួន ឬបរិមាណដែលមិនបានបញ្ជាក់ច្បាស់ ដោយប្រើ some និង any។

Meaning and use

Some and any can go before plural countable nouns and uncountable nouns. In a common beginner pattern, use some in positive statements and any in negatives or neutral questions: We have some rice. Do we have any rice? Some is also natural in many offers and requests, especially when you expect or hope for a yes: Would you like some tea? These are common patterns, not a rule that any is impossible in a positive sentence.

Some និង any អាចប្រើមុននាមពហុវចនៈ និងនាមរាប់មិនបាន។ ជាទូទៅប្រើ some ក្នុងប្រយោគវិជ្ជមាន និង any ក្នុងប្រយោគបដិសេធ ឬសំណួរធម្មតា។ ប៉ុន្តែសំណួរផ្តល់ជូន ឬសំណើសុំជាច្រើនក៏អាចប្រើ some បាន ដូចជា Would you like some tea?។

Grammar patterns

Pattern	Example or form
Positive statement	We have some apples. We have some rice.
Negative statement	We don’t have any apples.
Neutral question	Do you have any water?
An offer or request can use some	Would you like some tea? Can I have some water?

Examples

1. There are some apples on the table.

   មានផ្លែប៉ោមខ្លះនៅលើតុ។

2. I don’t have any money.

   ខ្ញុំមិនមានលុយទេ។

3. Do you have any questions?

   តើអ្នកមានសំណួរទេ?

4. Would you like some tea?

   តើអ្នកចង់បានតែខ្លះទេ?

Everyday conversation

Maly: Do we have any rice?

Dara: Yes, we have some rice.

Maly: Do we have any apples?

Dara: No, we don’t have any.

Common mistakes

Instead of	Use	Why
She has some informations.	She has some information.	Information is normally uncountable; some does not make it plural.
I have any questions?	Do I have any questions?	A yes/no present-simple question with have uses do before the subject.

Practice

Try these questions before opening the answers. Write or say each answer.

សាកល្បងឆ្លើយសំណួរទាំងនេះជាមុនសិន មុននឹងបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ អ្នកអាចសរសេរ ឬនិយាយចម្លើយរបស់អ្នក។

1. Complete the usual positive pattern: We have ___ apples.
2. Complete the usual negative pattern: We don’t have ___ rice.
3. Complete a neutral question: Do you have ___ water?
4. True or false: Some can never appear in a question.

Answers and explanations

Show answers / បង្ហាញចម្លើយ

1. some

   Some is the common choice in this positive amount statement.

2. any

   Any is the common choice with don’t in this pattern.

3. any

   Any commonly asks whether an amount is available.

4. False.

   Some is common in offers and requests, such as Would you like some tea?

Quick recap

• Some and any work with plural countable nouns and uncountable nouns.
• Some is common in positives; any is common in negatives and neutral questions.
• Offers and requests often use some.