"Did you buy apples? - it was the expectation. Did you buy any apples? - curiosity.

The questions ask the same thing, and the answer will be the same for both. In that sense, their meanings are identical. However, language does not merely express meaning. That is *one* of its purposes, but not the only one. Language also conveys the way a speaker *thinks* about what he says. "Any" works like a number, except that the number is unspecified. So, while "seven apples" denotes a specified number of apples, "any apples" denotes an unspecified number of apples. Thus "Did you buy any apples?" means the same as "Did you buy some unspecified number of apples?" By putting "any" into the sentence, the speaker shows that he is *thinking* about the number of apples, possibly wondering what that number might be, or even if it is greater than zero.

“Did you buy apples?” / “Did you buy any apples?” Explanation: Both questions are asking if you bought apples, but there’s a small difference: 1. “Did you buy apples?” – This is a simple question, just asking if apples were bought. 2. “Did you buy any apples?” – Here, “any” makes it sound like you might be expecting that some apples were bought, or you’re not sure if they were bought at all. Tip: Use “any” when you’re not sure or when you’re hoping for a few apples. It’s like asking, “Did you buy just a few apples, or did they all escape the shopping cart?”

You can say either, both sentences are grammatically correct. From a meaning standpoint, I would use the first if apples were on the family shopping list: "I bought apples" means that that particular item (apples) can be crossed off of the shopping list. "I bought some apples" is a more surprising motive: I was at the shop for something else, apples caught my eye, so I bought some.

- Did you buy apples?” → Neutral, general inquiry. - Did you buy any apples?” → Focuses on whether at least some were bought, often expecting a “no” answer.