nogen

See also: nøgen

Danish

Etymology

From Old Danish nokær, nogher, noghen, from Old Norse nǫkkurr, cognate with Norwegian Nynorsk nokon and Swedish någon. Grammaticalization of the phrase Proto-Germanic *ne wait ek hwarjaz (“I don't know who = somebody”). For the expression, compare Old English nāthwylc (“somebody”) (from *ne wāt hwylċ), Middle High German neizwer (“somebody”) (from *ne weiz wer), Latin nescio quis (“somebody”).

The Danish form has -n from the old accusative, cf. Old Norse nǫkkurn, whereas the plural the old -r- has been replaced by -l- in the plural nogle, cf. Old Norse nǫkkura, Swedish några. The neuter noget contains a different pronoun than the rest of the paradigm: Old Norse nǫkkut, Norwegian Nynorsk noko, Swedish något, from Proto-Germanic *ne wait ek hwat.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈnoən], [ˈnoːn]
• Homophone: nogle

Pronoun

nogen (neuter noget, plural nogle or nogen)

1. (determiner) some
2. (pronoun) somebody, someone, something

Usage notes

• In spoken language, the plural most often has the form nogen.

Pronoun

nogen (neuter noget, plural nogen)

1. (determiner) any
2. (pronoun) anybody, anyone, anything

Usage notes

• This pronoun is used in questions and negative sentences.