qualunque cosa
/kwaˈlun.kwe ˈkɔ.za/word by word
In Italian, the phrase for 'whatever' is qualunque cosa.
If you want to express a dismissive 'whatever!' (as in 'I don't care' or 'You're kidding me'), Italians are more likely to use an interjection like ma dai or ma va rather than a literal translation of 'whatever'.
Meaning: indicating the speaker does not care what someone says (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the adjective qualunque (any/whichever) and the noun cosa (thing).
Which one should you use?
Qualsiasi cosa is a very common synonym for qualunque cosa and can be used interchangeably in most contexts. For the related adjective forms meaning 'regardless of the … that' or 'for any … that', you can use qualunque, qualsiasi or qualsivoglia.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
It has 5 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- The word cosa comes from the Latin word causa, which originally meant 'cause' or 'legal case'.
- To express a dismissive 'whatever', Italians often use ma dai, which literally translates to 'but give'.
- The word qualsivoglia acts as a more sophisticated version of qualunque, often reserved for high literature or formal speeches.
Examples in context
- Qualunque cosa dica è vera.Whatever she says is true.This sentence shows how to use qualunque cosa to mean 'whatever she says'.Tatoeba #1504593 by Guybrush88, translation #309240 by CK
- Fai qualunque cosa vuoi fare.Do whatever you want to do.This sentence uses qualunque cosa to express 'whatever you want to do'.Tatoeba #2584820 by Guybrush88, translation #53479 by CK
- Qualunque cosa io abbia è tua.Whatever I have is yours.This sentence uses qualunque cosa to mean 'whatever I have'.Tatoeba #3367492 by Guybrush88, translation #321464 by CK
- 59 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chiara and Matteo are arguing about where to eat dinner.
- ChiaraPreferisci la pizza o il sushi stasera?Do you prefer pizza or sushi tonight?
- MatteoNon mi importa, scegli tu.I don't care, you choose.
- ChiaraMa allora dimmi cosa vuoi!But then tell me what you want!
- MatteoSì, qualunque cosa!Yes, whatever!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry qualunque cosa, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (qualunque, cosa) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cosa, qualunque, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
