Lesson 32. Anybody, Anything, Nobody, Nothing (아무나, 아무거나, 아무도, 아무것도 + negative verb)

1. How to say, “Any Noun”, “Anything” and “Anyone”

1) “Any Noun”

Any song: 아무 노래

Any clothes: 아무 옷

(저는) 아무 노래 듣고 싶어요. (X) – this is a wrong sentence. “아무 노래” can be used by itself, but when it is used in a sentence, “나” or “이나” should be added right after.

So, you can say :

(저는) 아무 노래나 듣고 싶어요. – I want to listen to any song.

*when “나” or “이나” is used in a sentence, we don’t have to put any other particles like “을/를” or “이/가”.

아무 옷이나 입어도 돼요. (O) – You can wear any clothes.
아무 옷이나를 입어도 돼요. (X) 

2) “Anything” = 아무거나

아무(any) + 거(thing) + 나 

A: 어떤 거를 고르실래요? – Which one would you like to choose?

B: 아무거나 괜찮아요. – Anything is okay.

저는 아무거나 마실 수 있어요. –  I can drink anything.

Or, 저는 아무 음료나 마실 수 있어요. – I can drink any beverage.

아무거나 잘 먹어요. 저는 편식을 안 해요. – I can eat anything. I’m not picky.

3) “Anyone” = 아무나

When you want to say “anyone”, you have to put “아무” and then “나” right after it. Nothing is put between them.

*”아무나” can be replaced with “누구나” or “누구든(지).

아무나 (or 누구나, 누구든지) 한국어를 배울 수 있어요. – Anyone can learn Korean.

아무나 데려와도 돼요. – You can bring anyone.

2. How to say “Nothing” and “Nobody”

아무 + Noun + 도 + negative verb = no noun 

1)“Nothing” = 아무 + 것 + 도 (=아무것도) + negative verb

아무것도 means “nothing”, and it should ALWAYS be followed by a negative verb.

For example:

I don’t like anything. – 아무것도 안 좋아해요. (O)

아무것도 좋아해요. (X) – is a wrong sentence, as in Korean “nothing” should always be followed by a negative verb.

엄마가 저한테 아무것도 안 줬어요./주지 않았어요. – Mom didn’t give me anything. (= Mom gave me nothing).

저는 아무것도 안 살 거예요. – I will not buy anything. (= I will buy nothing).

To say “not any noun = no noun”, you can say “아무 + Noun + 도”.

저는 아무 걱정도 없어요. – I don’t have any worries. (= I have no worries).

아무 말도 하지 마세요. – Don’t say any words. (= Say no words).

2) “Nobody” = 아무도

아무도 has to be followed by a negative verb as well.

저는 아무도 몰라요. – I don’t know anyone. (= I know no one). [안 알아요 (X)]

저는 아무도 초대하지 않았어요. Or 저는 아무도 초대 안 했어요. – I didn’t invite anyone. (= I invited no one).

아무도 안 왔어요. – No one came.

아무도 없어요. – There’s no one.

3. 아무거나 / 아무나 + Negative Verb

Now we know that when we use 아무거나 or 아무나 with positive verbs, they mean “anything” and “anyone.”

But when they are combined with negative verbs, they have different meanings.

For example:

저는 아무 노래나 안 들어요. – I don’t listen to any songs. (I’m picky about what I listen.)

아무도 만나지 마세요. – Don’t meet anyone. (Meet nobody.)

아무나 만나지 마세요. – Don’t meet just anyone. ((Be picky about who you meet!)

저는 아무것도 먹지 않아요. – I don’t eat anything. (I eat nothing.)

저는 아무거나 먹지 않아요. – I don’t eat just anything (I am picky about what I eat).

아무거나 사지 마세요. 그리고 필요한 것만 사세요. – Don’t buy just anything. Buy only the things that you need.

[Quick Summary ]:

Any Noun > 아무 Noun + 이나/나

Anything > 아무거나

Anyone > 아무나

No Noun > 아무 + Noun + 도 + negative verb

Nothing > 아무것도 + Negative Verb

Nobody > 아무도 + Negative Verb

아무거나 / 아무나 + Negative Verb > is used to mean “not just anything, not just anybody.”