Learn Spanish (Latin America): A lo mejor un trámite cualquiera requiere mucho papeleo. - Maybe an ordinary procedure requires a lot of paperwork.

When cualquiera comes immediately after a noun preceded by an indefinite article like un or una, it acts as an adjective meaning "ordinary," "run-of-the-mill," or "just any." Here, un trámite cualquiera means "any ordinary procedure" or "just a random procedure," emphasizing that it is nothing special or unique.

The phrase a lo mejor means "maybe." Why is the verb requiere in the indicative mood instead of the subjunctive?

In Spanish, the expression a lo mejor almost always takes the indicative mood, even though it expresses doubt or probability. This is a special exception, as other common expressions for "maybe" like tal vez or quizás usually trigger the subjunctive mood to show uncertainty.

How is the word papeleo formed, and what does it imply?

The word papeleo comes from the noun papel (paper) combined with the suffix -eo. This suffix is often used to describe continuous, repetitive, or sometimes tedious actions. So papeleo specifically refers to "paperwork" or the burdensome administrative process of dealing with forms and documents.

How would I make un trámite cualquiera plural if I wanted to talk about ordinary procedures?