---
title: somehow — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «somehow» in the school dictionary: Somehow means in some way, although you do not know how or it is hard to explain. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/somehow/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/) / [school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/) / [S](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/) / somehow

# somehow

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** you, I, cat, We, project, it · **What happens:** mean, not know, be, explain, not say, not trust · **To what, where:** reason, him, roof, rain, gate, key · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«somehow» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 8 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [somehow in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/somehow.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Somehow means in some way, although you do not know how or it is hard to explain.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:somehow:m1:1
# text = Somehow means in some way, although you do not know how or it is hard to explain.
1	Somehow	somehow	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	5	det	_	_
5	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
7	although	although	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
8	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
9	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
10	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	11	advmod	_	_
11	know	know	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	conj	_	_
12	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	16	advmod	_	_
13	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
14	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	expl	_	_
15	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	16	cop	_	_
16	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	ccomp	_	_
17	to	to	PART	TO	_	18	mark	_	_
18	explain	explain	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	16	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  | in some way; somehow *property* | vn representation-110.1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Pivot in way=Attribute |
| 2 | **not** **know** | present · do-support | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 3 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | hard *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **explain** *speech: assert* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Somehow can mean for some reason that you cannot quite say: somehow I didn't trust him.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:somehow:m2:1
# text = Somehow can mean for some reason that you cannot quite say: somehow I didn't trust him.
1	Somehow	somehow	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	6	det	_	_
6	reason	reason	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	12	obj	_	_
8	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
9	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	12	advmod	_	_
11	quite	quite	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
12	say	say	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	18	punct	_	_
14	somehow	somehow	ADV	RB	_	18	advmod	_	_
15	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	18	nsubj	_	_
16	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	18	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	18	advmod	_	_
18	trust	trust	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	ccomp	_	_
19	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	18	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | can |  |  |  |  |  | for some reason; somehow *property* | vn representation-110.1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Pivot for reason=Attribute |
| 2 | **not** **say** *speech: assert* | can | you | some reason |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **not** **trust** | past · do-support | I | him *= he* |  |  |  | somehow *property* | vn conjecture-29.5-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent he=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Somehow or other» means by some way or another, even if it is difficult.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:somehow:m3:1
# text = «Somehow or other» means by some way or another, even if it is difficult.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Somehow	somehow	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
6	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	by	by	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	9	det	_	_
9	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
13	even	even	ADV	RB	_	17	advmod	_	_
14	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	17	mark	_	_
15	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	17	expl	_	_
16	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	17	cop	_	_
17	difficult	difficult	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  | by some way; somehow *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** *a condition, not said to happen* | present |  |  |  |  |  | difficult *property* | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Somehow the cat got onto the roof.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:somehow:x1:1
# text = Somehow the cat got onto the roof.
1	Somehow	somehow	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	got	get	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	onto	onto	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	roof	roof	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | past | the cat |  |  | the roof |  | somehow *property* | vn escape-51.1 «NP V PP.destination»: agent=Theme onto roof=Destination |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We will get the project finished somehow.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:somehow:x2:1
# text = We will get the project finished somehow.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	project	project	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	finished	finish	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	ccomp	_	_
7	somehow	somehow	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | future | We |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer clause=Stimulus |
| 2 | **finish** | past | the project |  |  |  |  | somehow *property* | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Somehow I knew it was going to rain.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:somehow:x3:1
# text = Somehow I knew it was going to rain.
1	Somehow	somehow	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
2	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	knew	know	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	going	go	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	ccomp	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	rain	rain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **know** | past | I |  |  |  |  | somehow *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer clause=Stimulus |
| 2 | **go** | past · progressive | it | rain |  |  |  |  | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The dog somehow opened the gate and ran out.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:somehow:x4:1
# text = The dog somehow opened the gate and ran out.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	somehow	somehow	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	opened	open	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	gate	gate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	ran	run	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
9	out	out	ADP	RP	_	8	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **open** | past | the dog | the gate |  |  |  | somehow *property* | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location gate=Theme |
| 2 | **run out** | past | the dog *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I lost my key, but somehow or other I got into the house.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:somehow:x5:1
# text = I lost my key, but somehow or other I got into the house.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	lost	lose	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	key	key	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
6	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
7	somehow	somehow	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	conj	_	_
10	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	got	get	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
12	into	into	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	house	house	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lose** | past | I | my key |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent key=Eventuality |
| 2 | **get** | past | I |  |  | the house |  | somehow *property* | vn escape-51.1 «NP V PP.destination»: agent=Theme into house=Destination |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Somehow the cake didn't taste as good as last time.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:somehow:x6:1
# text = Somehow the cake didn't taste as good as last time.
1	Somehow	somehow	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	cake	cake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	6	advmod	_	_
6	taste	taste	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
7	as	as	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	obj	_	_
9	as	as	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	last	last	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **taste** | past · do-support | the cake | good |  |  |  | somehow *property* | vn seem-109 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Theme good=Attribute |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The team was losing, but somehow they won in the last minute.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:somehow:x7:1
# text = The team was losing, but somehow they won in the last minute.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	team	team	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	losing	lose	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
6	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
7	somehow	somehow	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
8	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	won	win	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	last	last	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	minute	minute	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lose** | past · progressive | the team |  |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **win** | past | they |  |  |  | minute | somehow *property* | vn succeed-74-2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Can I not manage to see her somehow?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:somehow:x8:1
# text = Can I not manage to see her somehow?
1	Can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
2	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	manage	manage	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	see	see	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	somehow	somehow	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **manage** | can | I |  |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-1-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **not** **see** | to-infinitive | I *not said here* | her *= she* |  |  |  | somehow *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer she=Stimulus |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [someday](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/someday/)
- next →: [someone](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/someone/)
- ↑ back to [S in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/)