n'importe quel
/n‿ɛ̃.pɔʁ.t(ə) kɛl/
The English phrase "any" is translated into French as n'importe quel.
The phrase n'importe quel is used to express the idea of "at least one (kind)".
Meaning: at least one (kind) (det)
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, n'importe quel translates to "it doesn't matter which".
Which one should you use?
While n'importe quel means "any" in the sense of "it doesn't matter which one", it is different from quelque which is used for "some" or "any" in a more existential sense.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase must agree in gender with the noun it modifies, using n'importe quelle for feminine nouns. The phrase must agree in number with the noun it modifies, using n'importe quels for masculine plural nouns and n'importe quelles for feminine plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/n‿ɛ̃.pɔʁ.t(ə) kɛl/ (3 syllables)
Did you know?
- In French, if you say n'importe quoi, it literally means 'any thing', but it is most commonly used as an idiom to mean 'nonsense' or 'rubbish'.
- The word importe in n'importe quel comes from the verb importer, which in this context means 'to matter' rather than 'to bring goods into a country'.
- While n'importe quel expresses 'any' in a sense of indifference, using the word n'importe alone can be a cheeky way to say 'it doesn't matter' or 'whatever' in a conversation.
Examples in context
- Tu entends n'importe quel son ?Do you hear any sound?This sentence is useful for asking if a person hears any sound using n'importe quel.Tatoeba #525287 by Snout, translation #25183 by AlanF_US
- Je payerai n'importe quel prix.I'll pay any price.This sentence is useful for expressing a willingness to pay any price using n'importe quel.Tatoeba #4693481 by sacredceltic, translation #1890922 by CK
- N'importe quel enfant sait cela.Any child knows it.This sentence is useful for stating that any child knows a certain fact using n'importe quel.Tatoeba #1257204 by sacredceltic, translation #36643 by CK
- Tout le mondeEveryone
- Toute personneAny person
- N'importe quelle opportunité serait la bienvenue.Any opportunity would be welcome.
- N'importe quel film, ça m'est égal !Any movie, I don't care!
- 129 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Hugo are looking at a selection of old books.
- HugoTu peux choisir n'importe quel livre ici.You can choose any book here.
- EmmaVraiment ? Même les plus vieux ?Really? Even the oldest ones?
- HugoOui, n'importe quel livre de cette étagère.Yes, any book from this shelf.
- EmmaC'est super, merci Hugo.That is great, thanks Hugo.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry n'importe quel, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
