something, some things

[Ju]

1. He wants to buy some things for me.

2. He wants to buy something for me.

What are the differences between the usages of something and some things?

Thanks.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I only know of one difference: One is singular and the other is plural.

We use the singular form more often because it's useful in so many contexts. For instance:

- The fill-in-the-blank sense: Quick! Do something!

- The French je ne c'est qua sense: There's a certain something about her.

- To make a sentence more open-ended: He got a job as a waiter or something.
​

But it always literally means some thing. We turned it into a single compound word because the two words were used together so often.

Does that help?

​

 

[Ju]

I only know of one difference: One is singular and the other is plural.

We use the singular form more often because it's useful in so many contexts. For instance:

- The fill-in-the-blank sense: Quick! Do something!

- The French je ne c'est qua sense: There's a certain something about her.

- To make a sentence more open-ended: He got a job as a waiter or something.
​

But it always literally means some thing. We turned it into a single compound word because the two words were used together so often.

Does that help?

​

Sorry, not quite understand.
You mean some things is the plural form of something? But the first one are 2 separate words and the latter is one words.

 

[Tarheel]

Do you know what's wrong with the phrase "one words"?

 

[Tarheel]

Say:

Sorry. I don't quite understand.

 

[GoesStation]

Some things is the plural of a thing.

Note my little correction.

 

[Ju]

Please find the defination of the subj ect I searched from internet. Do you agree? But I still can't tell the differences of the 2 examples.

(Something: Any random object, unpredicted,*

for example: "I have something special for you!"*

Some thing: The thing is already DEFINED.

the thing is only ONE thing, not anything else.

for example: "Tom has some thing to give to you,"*

When speaking, your tone of voice changes.

Some THING to give to you sounds much more provocative and colloqial.

Otherwise, there is no big difference.)

 

[Raymott]

for example: "Tom has some thing to give to you,"
That would be very uncommon. I'd suggest you learn what each term means, how it's used, and forget about the difference between them.
Do you have the same trouble with: somebody: some body, sometime: some time, etc.? There are a whole lot of words with 'some': someone, somewhere, somehow, somewhat ...
They have specific meanings. The other group has unrelated words with the quantifier "some" before them.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

je ne sais quoi

Wow! Glad I never write it! (Or say it!) Thanks!

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Sorry, not quite understand.
You mean some things is the plural form of something? But the first one are 2 separate words and the latter is one words.

Here's what I said above: "We turned it into a single compound word because the two words were used together so often."

So, again: "Some things" is the plural of "something."

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Please find the definition of the subject I searched from the Internet. Do you agree? But I still can't tell the differences of the two examples.

(Something: Any random object, unpredicted,* Yes. Something is a thing. It is one thing.

For example: "I have something special for you!"* Yes. In other words: I have a special thing for you.

Some thing: The thing is already DEFINED. Yes.

The thing is only ONE thing, not anything else. Yes.

For example: "Tom has some thing to give to you,"* Sometimes. But usually it would be: Tom has something to give you.

When speaking, your tone of voice changes. Yes.

Some THING to give to you sounds much more provocative and colloqial. No. It's just a different emphasis.

Otherwise, there is no big difference. Correct!

I hope that helps!

 

[Raymott]

I disagree. 'Somethings' is the plural of 'something'. It's possible to use 'some things' as a plural form of 'something', but I think it leads to confusion of the type I was hoping to avoid in my last post.

Sharon: "If you do a little something in my garden for me, I'll go camping with you. Oh, and something for my dog - he needs a walk. And ..."
Brett: "How many somethings are there going to be?!"

"Some things" does not work here; it is not strictly the plural of 'something'.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I disagree. 'Somethings' is the plural of 'something'. It's possible to use 'some things' as a plural form of 'something', but I think it leads to confusion of the type I was hoping to avoid in my last post.

Sharon: "If you do a little something in my garden for me, I'll go camping with you. Oh, and something for my dog - he needs a walk. And ..."
Brett: "How many somethings are there going to be?!"

"Some things" does not work here; it is not strictly the plural of 'something'.

Well, sure! That's a rarified usage, but it's right. Outside of that unusual situation, we wouldn't say "somethngs."

Ju, do Raymott's comments make sense to you?