Question words as 'any' and 'every': 谁都, 什么都不, 怎么也

Question words that don't ask

The question words of Question words: 什么, 谁, 哪儿, 几, 多少, 怎么 (谁, 什么, 哪儿, 什么时候, 怎么) have a second life. Followed by 都 or 也, they mean "every" or, with a negative, "no".

The word order

The question word comes before 都/也 and the verb, even when it is the object. "I eat everything" is 我什么都吃, not 我吃什么都.

• 他谁都认识。He knows everyone.
• 这件事谁也不知道。Nobody knows about this.
• 周末我哪儿都不想去。I don't want to go anywhere this weekend.
• 你什么时候来都可以。You can come any time.

都 and 也 are both fine with a negative. In a positive sentence use 都.

怎么也 + negative

怎么也 (or 怎么都) + a negative says that no matter how you try, it doesn't work. It often goes with a potential complement (Can or can't manage it: 听得懂, 看不见).

• 这个字我怎么也想不起来。I just can't remember this character, however hard I try.

"Some, any" in questions and negatives

In a 吗 question or after a plain negative, a question word can mean "something, anything": 什么 = something.

• 你想喝点儿什么吗？Would you like something to drink?

什么的: "and so on"

At the end of a list, 什么的 (shénmede) means "and so on, and things like that". It is spoken; writing prefers 等.

• 我买了苹果、香蕉、葡萄什么的。I bought apples, bananas, grapes and so on.

Common mistakes

• 我吃什么都。 → 我什么都吃。 The question word goes before 都 and the verb.
• 我都什么不知道。 → 我什么都不知道。 Question word first, then 都, then 不.
• 谁也知道。 → 谁都知道。 In a positive sentence 也 sounds unnatural; it belongs with negatives (谁也不知道).
• Mixing up 你想吃什么？ (What do you want to eat?) and 你想吃点儿什么吗？ (Do you want something to eat?): with 吗, 什么 means "something".