# cualesquier



## reedhq

Hi everyone:
I'm having trouble with "cualesquier". 
I would appreciate any use in context and any definition. I understand that it is plural of "cualquier", but as to what precedes it and what follows it...ya got me! I think that I know it is followed by the subjunctive.
Thanks 
Christina


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## Citrus

Hi Christina!!!

The literal meaning of "cualesquiera" is "wichever". For example:

Cualesquiera que sean los colores.
Wichever the colors are.

Hope it's helpfull!!!
Bye =)


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## reedhq

Beautiful! Thanks keep 'em comming!

Christina


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## te gato

reedhq said:
			
		

> Beautiful! Thanks keep 'em comming!
> 
> Christina


 
"Whichever way you wish to go"
*"de cualesquiera camino tu desea ir"*
"whichever one you like"
*"cualquiera un le gusta"*
What you are doing is leaving the decision up to someone else.
te gato 
feel free to correct


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## te gato

Citrus said:
			
		

> Hi Christina!!!
> 
> The literal meaning of "cualesquiera" is  "wichever". For example:
> 
> Cualesquiera que sean los colores.
> Wichever the colors are.
> 
> Hope it's helpfull!!!
> Bye =)


 
Don't want to seem picky but....it is "whichever" not "wichever"
te gato


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## ~PiCHi~

te gato said:
			
		

> "Whichever way you wish to go"
> *"de cualesquiera camino tu desea ir"*
> "whichever one you like"
> *"cualquiera un le gusta" *What you are doing is leaving the decision up to someone else.
> te gato
> feel free to correct



The correct form will be: _"Cualquiera que le guste"_


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## te gato

~PiCHi~ said:
			
		

> The correct form will be: _"Cualquiera que le guste"_


Gracias piCHi
te gato


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## Citrus

Don't worry about correcting me, I appreciate it!!!
Thank's


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## te gato

Citrus said:
			
		

> Don't worry about correcting me, I appreciate it!!!
> Thank's


 
As long as people keep correcting me also, including you!!!! 
te gato


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## reedhq

Ok but we are not using cualesquiera exclusively. I don't mean to be picky, but I've never heard this word used very much.
Christina


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## Artrella

te gato said:
			
		

> "Whichever way you wish to go"
> *"de cualesquiera camino tu desea ir"*
> "whichever one you like"
> *"cualquiera un le gusta"*
> What you are doing is leaving the decision up to someone else.
> te gato
> feel free to correct




Whichever way you wish to go   *Por cualquier camino que tu desees ir*

Whichever one you like   *Cualquiera que te guste*



participar en *cualesquier* encuestas


Saque copias de *cualesquier* papeles que usted le da al tribunal y guarde todos los recibos por *cualesquier* pagos que ya ha hecho. 



Hi Chris!!   This word is not much used, at least in Argentina.  I don't know in Spain.

We use "cualquier" or "cualquiera" in singular.  Example>> Participar en cualquier encuesta

Saque copias de cualquier papel que usted le dé al tribunal y guarde todos los recibos por cualquier pago que ya ha hecho.


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## reedhq

Thanks a bunch Art! Hey! Congratulations on your new award! Does that translate into goddes of the forum. 

It makes me feel better that it isn't common usage. It calms my ego. LOL

I think that my biggest question is. After cualesquier the noun has to be plural and the verb is subjunctive. Correct?

Christina


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## Artrella

reedhq said:
			
		

> Thanks a bunch Art! Hey! Congratulations on your new award! Does that translate into goddes of the forum.
> 
> It makes me feel better that it isn't common usage. It calms my ego. LOL
> 
> I think that my biggest question is. After cualesquier the noun has to be plural and the verb is subjunctive. Correct?
> 
> Christina





Sí Christina!! plural and subjunctive!!
  Thx for your nice words!!!

Besos!


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## dannae00

Cualesquiera es muy literario, demasiado formal. Normalmente es más usado cualquiera: 
Whichever way you wish to go"
"cualquier camino por el que desees ir"
"whichever one you like"
cualquiera que te guste


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## reedhq

thank you all so very much
Christina


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## dplawlis

Although it does look like "cualesquiera" was explained, it does not appear that instruction for "cualesquier" was given.  Basically, "cualquier" and "cualesquier" can precede nouns; "cualquiera" and "cualesquiera" cannot.  If you are wanting to translate "any" into Spanish, and the object following "any" is plural, you can use "cualesquier" (e.g., "Cualesquier problemas que surjan de este acuerdo...."="Any problems that arise from this agreement....").  Hope this helps.


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## reedhq

Thank you, that did help.


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## gdiaz

Any or whichever in spanish has genre and number.

Cualquier - masculine and singular.
Cualquiera - feminine and singular.
Cualesquier - masculine and plural.
Cualesquiera - feminine and plural.

Sometimes, the final "a" is omitted to avoid hiatus with the initial vowel of the next word.


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## dplawlis

I am a little hesitant to disagree with a senior member, but I am going to.  I strongly disagree with gdiaz's summation.  "Cualquier," "cualesquier," "cualquiera," and "cualesquiera" have absolutely nothing to do with gender.  If they did, one would, for example, write "Cualquiera persona puede hacer eso."  Obviously, this is wrong (it should be "Cualquier persona puede hacer eso"), but if "cualquiera" had to be used for feminine objects, then "cualquiera persona" would be correct--any Spanish speaker knows that "cualquiera persona" is erroneous Spanish.  The selection of these four options depends on two things, and two things only: whether or not the word immediately precedes a noun (e.g., "cualquier doctor," as opposed to "cualquiera de los doctores"), and whether or one is dealing with a singular object or a plural object (e.g., "cualquiera de los doctores," as opposed to "cualesquiera de los doctores nos pueden ayudar").  If gdiaz's asseverations were correct, the following would be correct: "cualquiera mujer," "cualquier de los doctores," "cualesquiera mujeres," and "cualesquier de los doctores."  This puts "cualquiera" in front of a feminine noun, "cualesquiera" in front of a plural feminine noun, uses "cualquier" when a single masculine noun is being referred to, and uses "cualesquier" when a plural masculine noun is being referred to.  These should all have been, respectively, "cualquier mujer," "cualquiera de los doctores," "cualesquier mujeres," and "cualesquiera de los doctores."  If one is going to put one of these words immediately in front of a noun, the options are instantly narrowed down to "cualquier" and "cualesquier" (regardless of gender); the second and final step is to use "cualquier" if said noun is singular and "cualesquier" if said noun is plural.  If one is not going to be putting one of these four words immediately in front of the noun being modified, then the options are immediately reduced to "cualquiera" and "cualesquiera" (regardless of gender).  The second and final step is then to determine if said noun is singular or plurar (regardless of gender).


Perhaps I misunderstood gdiaz's statement, but it seems pretty clear that she was saying the selection of these four words depends on gender, which, in reality, has absolutely nothing to do with it.  I am especially in disagreement with her last statement--that the final "a" is dropped off sometimes to "avoid hiatus" (??) with the initial vowel of the next word; again, the only thing that matters is whether the word that follows is singular or plural.  Gender plays no part.


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## Henrik Larsson

I know "cualesquier" though I think that I've never heard of it in everyday speech.


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## jmx

dplawlis said:
			
		

> I strongly disagree with gdiaz's summation. "Cualquier," "cualesquier," "cualquiera," and "cualesquiera" have absolutely nothing to do with gender.


That's right, "cualquier" is simply de form of "cualquiera" before a noun. As for "cualesquier" and "cualesquiera", there's not much need to care about them, I would say they're almost obsolete words.


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## Pedro P. Calvo Morcillo

jmartins said:
			
		

> That's right, "cualquier" is simply de form of "cualquiera" before a noun. As for "cualesquier" and "cualesquiera", there's not much need to care about them, I would say they're obsolete words.


The plural of _cualquiera_, adjective or pronuoun, is _cualesquiera:_

_Cualesquiera que sean las causas._
_Cualesquiera (o cualesquier)__ bienes de los inventariados._
_Unos mercenarios cualesquiera._

These are common errors:
_Cualquiera que sean las causas. _
_Cualquiera bienes de los inventariados. _
_Unos mecenarios cualquiera. _

It is true that we usually prefer singular to plural when we construct these phrases:

_Cualquiera que sea la causa._
_Cualquier bien de los inventariados._
_Un mercenario cualquiera._

_Cualesquier _has fallen into disuse, _cualesquiera _is preferred.


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## flightgoddess

dplawlis gives great example scentance. The only situation I have seen "cualesquier or cualesquiera" in great use is in the writing of lease agreements, coporate minutes, etc. very formal, business-wordy stuff.


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## jacinta

Yes, I agree.  Simply said, cualquier(a) is an adjective and pronoun.  It does not change with gender, only with location in the structure of the sentence.  

before a noun = cualquier
alone, replacing the noun = cualquiera

In the plural form, as Henrik says, it's not as common.

Puedes leer cualquier libro.
Puedes leer cualquiera (de estos libros).


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## Galaxy_EGS

dplawlis said:
			
		

> I am a little hesitant to disagree with a senior member, but I am going to.  I strongly disagree with gdiaz's summation.  "Cualquier," "cualesquier," "cualquiera," and "cualesquiera" have absolutely nothing to do with gender.  If they did, one would, for example, write "Cualquiera persona puede hacer eso."  Obviously, this is wrong (it should be "Cualquier persona puede hacer eso"), but if "cualquiera" had to be used for feminine objects, then "cualquiera persona" would be correct--any Spanish speaker knows that "cualquiera persona" is erroneous Spanish.  The selection of these four options depends on two things, and two things only: whether or not the word immediately precedes a noun (e.g., "cualquier doctor," as opposed to "cualquiera de los doctores"), and whether or one is dealing with a singular object or a plural object (e.g., "cualquiera de los doctores," as opposed to "cualesquiera de los doctores nos pueden ayudar").  If gdiaz's asseverations were correct, the following would be correct: "cualquiera mujer," "cualquier de los doctores," "cualesquiera mujeres," and "cualesquier de los doctores."  This puts "cualquiera" in front of a feminine noun, "cualesquiera" in front of a plural feminine noun, uses "cualquier" when a single masculine noun is being referred to, and uses "cualesquier" when a plural masculine noun is being referred to.  These should all have been, respectively, "cualquier mujer," "cualquiera de los doctores," "cualesquier mujeres," and "cualesquiera de los doctores."  If one is going to put one of these words immediately in front of a noun, the options are instantly narrowed down to "cualquier" and "cualesquier" (regardless of gender); the second and final step is to use "cualquier" if said noun is singular and "cualesquier" if said noun is plural.  If one is not going to be putting one of these four words immediately in front of the noun being modified, then the options are immediately reduced to "cualquiera" and "cualesquiera" (regardless of gender).  The second and final step is then to determine if said noun is singular or plurar (regardless of gender).
> 
> Perhaps I misunderstood gdiaz's statement, but it seems pretty clear that she was saying the selection of these four words depends on gender, which, in reality, has absolutely nothing to do with it.  I am especially in disagreement with her last statement--that the final "a" is dropped off sometimes to "avoid hiatus" (??) with the initial vowel of the next word; again, the only thing that matters is whether the word that follows is singular or plural.  Gender plays no part.



This is a very good explanation, *dplawlis*. You are absolutely correct!


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## jgraham

I've just been doing some investigation and it seems the following terms are largely _interchangeable_, with the exception I'll mention at the end:

Cualquier/cualquiera (referring to singulars)

Cualesquier/cualesquiera (referring to plurals)

Exception: I understand that when these words are used as place-holders for nouns, such as in the following examples, only _cualquiera_ and _cualesquiera_ are acceptable:

"Me gusta pelear.  Puedo enfrentarme a cualquiera."
"No sé cuáles películas quiero alquilar.  Agarre cualesquiera."

-jgraham


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## neal41

Pedro P. Calvo Morcillo said:


> The plural of _cualquiera_, adjective or pronuoun, is _cualesquiera:_
> 
> _Cualesquiera que sean las causas._
> _Cualesquiera (o cualesquier)__ bienes de los inventariados._
> _Unos mercenarios cualesquiera._
> 
> These are common errors:
> _Cualquiera que sean las causas. _
> _Cualquiera bienes de los inventariados. _
> _Unos mecenarios cualquiera. _
> 
> It is true that we usually prefer singular to plural when we construct these phrases:
> 
> _Cualquiera que sea la causa._
> _Cualquier bien de los inventariados._
> _Un mercenario cualquiera._
> 
> _Cualesquier _has fallen into disuse, _cualesquiera _is preferred.


 
Butt and Benjamin (_A New Reference Grammar of Modern Spanish_) says exactly  what you have said and states that usually the final 'a' of 'cualesquiera' is not dropped before a plural noun.  I found quite a few examples of 'cualesquiera situaciones' in Google.


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## chacahua

Saludos, amigos. Se puede ver una explicación excelente de este tema a través de este enlace.  El chiste es que _cualesquie_r, aunque sí existe,  en  realidad casi no se usa en el habla coloquial. Como de costumbre, hay otras maneras para expresar el  mismo concepto  de _cualesquier_, y normalmente se busca una de esas otras   maneras. Por ejemplo, en vez de decir algo como "Cualesquier decisiones   que tomes...," se pueden decir:

1) Tomes las decisiones que tomes...
2) Sean como sean las decisiones que tomes...
3) Puedes tomar las decisiones que sean...

Ya  ven tres maneras para expresar la misma idea de _cualesquier _sin tener que emplearlo; seguramente hay más (¡y seguramente más elegantes!), y así va a ser en el caso que sea (o _en cualquier caso_!!). En cambio, _cualesquiera _sí  se usa de vez en cuando, aunque tambien hay muchas otras maneras para  decir lo mismo sín usarlo. No tengo la menor idea de porque sí se usa el  uno y casi no el otro, pero los idiomas no se _diseñan_, se _evolucionan_,  y la evolución no le obedece a ningún sistema de lógica pura. Me parece  a mí que es uno de esos casos en que, con tal de entender muy bien qué  significa el término y cómo se usa correctamente, puede emplear uno _cualesquiera _para  variar su propio estilo de comunicar. Pero también debería de poder  expresar lo mismo por otras maneras, porque fastidiaría escuchar  "cualesquiera" cada rato.


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