cualquiera, cualquier - adjective o pronoun?

Question

I have read a number of posts on this question and am still not clear so I did a Google search and I think the answers from the other forum clarifies it a little better if they are correct:

cualquier = adjetivo (tiene que ir algún sustantivo detrás) cualquiera = pronombre (esta palabra va sola)

-Cualquier persona puede cometer un error si no...... -¿Cualquier persona? - Sí, cualquiera. - Dame cualquier plato que veas en el mueble. Ah, y un vaso también. - ¿Qué vaso? - Cualquiera.

                               **also**   

The word is gender neutral; therefore, dropping the to say >"cualquier plato" has nothing to do with being masculine, but rather it is >done because is being used before a noun as an adjective.

Consequently, you can say "él es un hombre cualquiera" and "ella es una mujer >cualquiera" and both would be totally correct. Also, you can say "cualquier >hombre" and "cualquier mujer" if you use as an adjective.

If the above statement is true then our dictionary may have an incorrect entry which is:

no es un escritor cualquiera -> he's no ordinary writer {found in the adjective section}

So then you can change the gender when it is an adjective? Wow, so confusing.

Gracias

Answer 1

"Cualquier" is the shortened adjectival form of "cualquiera", so from now on, I will talk just about the word "cualquiera".

"Cualquiera" can be an adjective, a pronoun, and even a noun.

As an adjective, it can appear before or after the noun it modifies, and it is normally shortened when it precedes the noun. It is the same for masculine and feminine: "cualquier hombre", "un hombre cualquiera", "cualquier mujer", "una mujer cualquiera". However, in plural it is supposed to be "cualesquieras", normally following the noun, although "cualesquier" is also possible before the noun.

As a pronoun, it is not used next to other nouns, because it is replacing them: "Cualquiera puede comprar un libro", "Cualquiera le dice que no". "¡Cualquiera!"

Any questions?

Gracias lazarus, making it separate gives a clearer picture. But then as a pronoun only, the spelling is only "cualquiera"? - foxluv, Jun 12, 2011

Maybe a few more examples will do the trick since I understand sentences much better. - foxluv, Jun 12, 2011

Answer 2

cualquiera (the adjective) changes to cualquier before a singular noun (masculine or feminine). If it follows the noun, however, it is cualquiera. So consider the location of the noun (and its number), but don't worry about its gender.

Cualquiera can also be a pronoun or noun if you look in our dictionary. (masculine or feminine)

Gracias gfred, then for sure the dictionary entry is correct. - foxluv, Jun 12, 2011

Wow, I just got it...it has nothing to do with gender but position and the only way to spell it "cualquier" is before a singular noun. - foxluv, Jun 12, 2011