Question 1

What exactly does n'importe qui literally mean?

Accepted Answer

It literally means "it doesn't matter who" or "no matter who". In French, n'importe comes from the verb importer (to matter/to be important) and qui means "who". Put together, it is the standard way to say "anyone" or "anybody" when you mean "any person at all".

Question 2

Could I use quelqu'un here instead of n'importe qui?

Accepted Answer

If you used quelqu'un, the sentence would be Je peux voyager avec quelqu'un, which simply means "I can travel with someone." Using n'importe qui specifically emphasizes the free choice: you are willing to travel with absolutely anyone, with no preference on who it is.

Question 3

Why isn't the verb voyager conjugated here?

Accepted Answer

Because it directly follows peux, which is a conjugated modal verb (pouvoir, meaning "can" or "to be able to"). In French, when two verbs are paired like this, the second verb stays in its infinitive (dictionary) form. This is a good rule to remember for all modal verbs like vouloir (to want) and devoir (to have to).

Question 4

How would I use the same pattern to say "I can travel anywhere"?

Accepted Answer

You would swap out avec n'importe qui (with anyone) for the location equivalent: n'importe où (anywhere / no matter where). The sentence would become Je peux voyager n'importe où.

Je peux voyager avec n'importe qui.

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