Spanish word

cualquiera

Pronunciation

IPA/kwalˈkjeɾa/

Meaning

  • pronounanybody, anyone

Example

Cualquiera puede intentarlo.

Anybody can try it.

Illustration for cualquiera (anybody)

More examples

No confíes tu contraseña a cualquiera.

Don't entrust your password to anybody.

Core concept

Anyone, unspecified and interchangeable.

Common phrases

  • cualquiera puede

    anybody can

  • a cualquiera

    to anybody

Similar words

alguien: A particular person whose name or identity is unknown.
cada uno: Every member of a group, spoken of one at a time.

Definition in Spanish

Indica cualquiera de los elementos de un conjunto indefinido; puede aparecer solo o junto a un sustantivo en la forma 'cualquier'.

Word origin

Built from Latin qualiscumque (qualis 'what kind' + cumque 'ever'), which evolved into cualquiera in Spanish and the apocopated form 'cualquier' used before singular nouns.

Usage tips

  • Use 'alguien' for 'someone' in affirmative contexts and 'cualquiera' when the meaning is 'anyone at all' or 'whichever person', since they are not interchangeable.

Other meanings

  • any of thempronoun
  • anyadjective

Opposites

Word lists with this word