somebody
/'sʌmbədi/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Pronoun: An unspecified or unknown person. It refers to a single human being without identifying who exactly. It is used when the specific identity of the person is not known, not important, or not stated.
- Somebody left their umbrella in the office.
- Is somebody there?
Noun (informal): A person of importance or consequence.
- He acts like he's somebody now that he has a new job.
Usage
- As a Pronoun: is used in affirmative sentences, questions (when offering or expecting 'yes'), and in requests. It is synonymous with 'someone'.
- Somebody should help them.
- Could somebody please answer the phone?
- As a Noun: This use is less formal. It often appears in phrases like "be somebody" or "think you're somebody."
- She's really somebody in the art world.
Examples
- Pronoun:
- Somebody called for you while you were out.
- I think somebody is following us.
- There's somebody at the door.
- Noun:
- In this small town, he's considered somebody.
- She moved to the city to become somebody.
Advanced Usage
- "somebody or other": Used to emphasize that the person's identity is completely unknown or unimportant.
- Somebody or other will have to take responsibility.
- "somebody's": The possessive form.
- Is this somebody's seat?
Variants and Related Words
- Someone (pronoun): A direct synonym for the pronoun 'somebody'. It is often considered slightly more formal.
- Someone needs to fix this.
- Anybody/Anyone (pronoun): Used in negative sentences and most questions (when a 'no' answer is possible or expected).
- I didn't see anybody.
- Is anyone home?
- Nobody/No one (pronoun): The negative opposite, meaning 'not a single person'.
- Nobody knows the answer.
Synonyms
- Someone: An unspecified person.
- A person: An individual human being.
- An individual: A single human being considered separately.
Antonyms
- Nobody / No one: Not anybody; no person.
- Anybody (in negative contexts): Not a single person.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- Be somebody: To be a person of importance or fame.
- He always dreamed he would be somebody.
- Somebody up there loves me: An expression of gratitude for good luck, implying a benevolent higher power (like God or fate).
- I found my lost keys just in time—somebody up there loves me.
- Or somebody: Used to suggest a person of a particular type as an example, without being specific.
- Ask your teacher or somebody for help.
Noun
- a human being
- there was too much for one person to do