Se puede borrar cualquier apunte con la goma.

Questions & Answers about Se puede borrar cualquier apunte con la goma.

Why do we use cualquier instead of cualquiera here?
Cualquiera drops its final -a and becomes cualquier whenever it is placed directly before a singular noun. Because it comes right before the noun apunte (note), it must be shortened to cualquier.
Is apunte masculine or feminine, and does that affect how we use cualquier?
Apunte is masculine (el apunte). However, the noun's gender doesn't actually matter here! The shortened form cualquier is used before both masculine and feminine singular nouns. For example, you would say cualquier apunte (masculine) and cualquier idea (feminine).
What is the purpose of Se in Se puede borrar?
This is the impersonal se. It is used to make general statements where there isn't one specific person doing the action. It translates to 'one can' or a general 'you can.' If you just said Puede borrar, it would mean a specific 'he or she can erase.'
I've heard goma used for other things. What else can it mean?
In Latin America, goma is very context-dependent. While it means 'eraser' here (often called goma de borrar), it is also the standard word for 'glue' in many countries, or it can refer generally to 'rubber.' The verb borrar (to erase) makes it obvious we mean an eraser in this sentence.

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