algo que vs algo de vs algo para

Question

My question from yesterday was poorly worded.  One sees "algo que" with most verbs as in "Tiene algo que declarar/hacer" but one sees "algo de" or "algo para" with "Tiene algo de comer/beber?" or "Tiene algo para comer/beber?" Most verbs seem to take "algo que" in translators when there is an infinitive afterward and certainly when there is a conjugated verb after "algo." Are "algo de comer/beber" and "algo para comer/beber" just idioms or set phrases?  If not, when does one use "algo que" vs "algo de " (which can also mean some or a bit of) and "algo para"?

Answer

Hola AndrewThanks for clarifying a bit. Most of the time algo de / algo para / algo que are interchangeable, however using one or the other depends on "grammatical collocations", i.e. a natural combination of words that are generally used together. With the verb tener meaning "to have something to do, or to declare" the natural combination of words is "tener algo que hacer, algo que declarar" - it would sound really odd to use "de" here. However with the verb querer meaning "to want something to drink or to eat" we use "querer algo de comer, algo de beber" - this would sound slightly awkward too with "que", however not too bad with "para", but the most natural way to say it is definitely with "de". Saludos cordialesInma