cualquiera
/kwalˈkjeɾa/
The Spanish word for 'anybody' is cualquiera.
Cualquiera is used to refer to any person regardless of who they are. When it is placed after a noun, the meaning shifts from 'anybody' to 'any old' or 'just any' (for example, 'un hombre cualquiera' means 'just any man').
How does it change in a sentence?
When used as a pronoun meaning 'anybody', cualquiera is invariant in both gender and number. However, if you use it as an adjective before a masculine singular noun, it drops the final -a to become cualquier.
How do you pronounce it?
/kwalˈkjeɾa/
Did you know?
- Because cualquiera is a combination of 'which' and 'wants', the literal history of the word translates to 'whichever one it may want'.
- While cualquiera means 'anybody' in a neutral sense, calling someone un cualquiera is a social insult meaning they are a 'nobody' or lack any status.
- The root word cual is a distant relative of the English word 'quality', as both stem from Latin roots used to categorize or distinguish things.
Examples in context
- Cualquiera logra hacer eso.Anybody can do that.This sentence shows how to express that a task is easy enough for anybody to achieve.Tatoeba #770932 by Shishir, translation #36608 by CK
- Cualquiera pudo hacer esto.Anybody could do this.This sentence demonstrates the use of 'could' to say that anybody was able to do something.Tatoeba #1929180 by marcelostockle, translation #1841749 by CK
- Le puede pasar a cualquiera.It could happen to anybody.This sentence is useful for saying that an event can happen to anybody.Tatoeba #1609539 by marcelostockle, translation #2263364 by Hybrid
- Puede ingresar cualquier persona que tenga una cita.Anybody with an appointment can enter.
- Todo el mundo puede participar en la competencia.Anybody can participate in the competition.
- ¿ Nadie quiere ir al cine?Doesn't anybody want to go to the movies?
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A teacher is talking to her students in a classroom.
- MaríaSi tienen preguntas, cualquiera puede levantar la mano.If you have questions, anybody can raise their hand.
- AlejandroMaría, ¿puedo preguntar algo sobre la tarea?Maria, can I ask something about the homework?
- MaríaSí, Alejandro, adelante.Yes, Alejandro, go ahead.
- AlejandroGracias, es que no entiendo este punto.Thank you, it is just that I don't understand this point.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry cualquiera, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cualquiera, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
