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cualquier

kwal-KYEHRkwalˈkjeɾ

any

Also: whichever, whatever
A child happily selecting one simple, solid-colored shirt from a row of identical shirts on a wooden rack.

📝 In Action

Puedes elegir cualquier camisa, no me importa.

A2

You can choose any shirt, I don't mind.

Llámame a cualquier hora si necesitas algo.

A2

Call me at any time if you need something.

Cualquier día es bueno para empezar a aprender español.

B1

Any day is a good day to start learning Spanish.

Word Connections

Antonyms

  • ningún (no, not any)

Common Collocations

  • en cualquier caso – in any case
  • en cualquier momento – at any moment
  • de cualquier manera – anyway / in any way

just any

Also: some random, any old
A plain, gray, unadorned wooden block being picked up from a pile of unique, colorful, detailed carved wooden toys.

📝 In Action

No es un coche cualquier, es el que siempre soñé.

B2

It's not just any car, it's the one I always dreamed of.

No puedes dejar tus llaves en cualquier sitio.

B1

You can't leave your keys in just any old place.

Él no es un profesor cualquier; es el mejor del país.

B2

He's not some random teacher; he's the best in the country.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • ordinario (ordinary)
  • común y corriente (run-of-the-mill)

Antonyms

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "cualquier" in Spanish:

any→any old→just any→some random→whatever→whichever→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: cualquier

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence is correct?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
cualquiera(anyone, anybody, any) — Pronoun / Adjective
cualesquiera(any (plural, very formal)) — Pronoun / Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from an old Spanish phrase 'cual quiera', which itself came from the Latin 'quālis quærat', meaning 'which you may want'. Over centuries, these two words merged into the single, super-useful word we have today.

First recorded: 12th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: qualquerCatalan: qualsevol

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'cualquier' and 'cualquiera'?

It's all about placement! Use 'cualquier' BEFORE a noun (e.g., 'cualquier coche' - any car). Use 'cualquiera' when it stands alone as 'anyone' (e.g., 'Cualquiera puede venir' - Anyone can come) or sometimes after a noun for emphasis ('un día cualquiera' - any old day).

How do I say 'any' for plural things, like 'any books'?

Great question! In Spanish, you almost always just use 'cualquier' with a singular noun, even if the idea is plural. So, you'd say 'Toma cualquier libro' (Take any book). The technical plural form, 'cualesquier', is extremely rare and sounds very old-fashioned, so it's best to stick with 'cualquier' + singular noun.