qualquer coisa

[kwal-KAY KOH-zuh]
noun phrase / pronounfemininepl: quaisquer coisas
anything
1. any thing; an unspecified or indefinite object or matter
I'll eat anything for dinner.
Vou comer qualquer coisa no jantar.
2. something unimportant or of little value
That's just some random nonsense.
Isso é qualquer coisa, não vale a pena.
3. an unexpected or surprising matter
Something strange happened yesterday.
Qualquer coisa estranha aconteceu ontem.
4. used colloquially to express indifference or dismissal
Whatever, I don't care.
Qualquer coisa, não me importa.
In Brazilian Portuguese, 'qualquer coisa' is a versatile and frequently used expression in casual conversation. It can mean literal 'anything' or be used dismissively to indicate something is unimportant or trivial. Young Brazilians especially use it as a filler phrase to express indifference or uncertainty, similar to 'whatever' or 'whatever, man' in American English slang.
NYC Slang
anything; whatever; some random thing
Synonyms / Sinônimos
qualquer umalgouma coisa qualquertudonada de especial
Antonyms / Antônimos
nadatudoalgo específico

Regional Variations

General Brazilian Portuguese
qualquer coisa
Most common usage; means 'anything' or 'something unimportant'
Rio de Janeiro
qualquer coisa
Used casually and frequently in colloquial speech with dismissive tone
São Paulo
qualquer coisa
Standard usage; can mean both 'anything' and express indifference
Portugal
qualquer coisa
Similar usage but often replaced by 'qualquer um' or 'uma coisa qualquer' in certain contexts

Related Words

qualquercoisaalgonadatudo

Related Idioms & Phrases

qualquer coisa te assusta - anything scares you (easily frightened)
dar qualquer coisa - to give anything (to be willing to sacrifice)
qualquer coisa serve - anything goes
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