etwas
See also: Etwas
German
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Old High German eddeshwaz, from edde- + hwaz. Compare Icelandic eitthvað (“something”)
Pronunciation
Pronoun
etwas n
Usage notes
- When followed by a relative clause, neuter indefinite pronouns generally take was instead of das in the nominative and accusative. For euphonic reasons, however, etwas is predominantly construed with das, unless there is an intervening adjective (in which case the tendency is reverse):
- etwas, das (less commonly: was) mich stört ― something that bothers me
- etwas Lustiges, was (less commonly: das) ich gehört habe ― something funny that I’ve heard
Adverb
etwas
Related terms
Further reading
- “etwas” in Duden online