/kɛlkə/
Translation
some, a few, a little
Word origin
A compound of quel ('which') and que ('that'), from Latin qualis and quem. It means 'some' or 'any'.
- Origin
- Latin
- Root
- qualis + quem
- English cognates
- quality
Examples
.
There is some hope despite the bad news.
-.
He lives some distance from the town centre.
, ' .
However difficult the situation is, we will get through it.
J' au .
I bought a few fresh fruits at the market.
' cette .
There's something strange in this story.
(singulier) s'emploie devant un nom singulier pour indiquer une quantité indéterminée ou approximative. Il est invariable dans les locutions quelque... que (however, no matter how) suivies du subjonctif : quelque intelligent qu'il soit.
Ne pas confondre avec quelques (pluriel, a few) qui s'accorde et est beaucoup plus courant dans la conversation. La locution quelque chose (something) est invariable et très fréquente à tous les registres. Quelque part (somewhere) est son pendant spatial.
Where this fits
Used in
Stories
(15)On a le temps
1 min read · Core 1000
Chez le médecin
3 min read · Core 1000
Cuisiner ensemble
3 min read · Core 1000
La fête surprise
3 min read · Core 1000
Le dernier train de la nuit
3 min read · Core 1000
Le nouveau docteur
3 min read · Core 1000
Le nouveau voisin
3 min read · Core 1000
Un après-midi de pluie
3 min read · Core 1000
Un matin au marché
3 min read · Core 1000
Clara trouve sa place
4 min read · Core 1000
Il ne reste que ça
4 min read · Core 5000
Un ancien ami
4 min read · Core 5000
Un message pour Hélène
4 min read · Core 1000
Une rencontre au marché
4 min read · Core 1000
L'homme dont elle parle
5 min read · Core 5000
Grammar articles
(12)Avoiding the Passive in French: on, se and the Active Recast
French Adjectives and Nouns with à or de
French Concession Clauses: However It Turns Out
The French Conditional Perfect: j'aurais fait, elle serait venue
dont in Depth: The French de Relative Pronoun
quand + Future: The Tense English Refuses
French quel and lequel: Which and Which One
French Negation Beyond pas: ne... que, ni... ni, aucun
French Pronouns Y and EN: there, some, of it, of them
French Relative Pronouns: qui, que, dont, où and How to Glue Clauses Together
French si Clauses: The Three Types of Conditional Sentence
The French Passive Voice (la voix passive)
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quelque: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the French word "quelque" (some, a few, a little): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
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Start your free weekThis word is part of lesson 2.