In the song "Whenever, Wherever," popular Colombian singer Shakira tells us about a long-distance romance. At one point in the song, she asserts that time and distance are of little importance when two people are meant for each other:

Can't you seeI'm at your feetWhenever, whereverWe're meant to be togetherI'll be there and you'll be nearAnd that's the deal, my dear...

In the song, Shakira uses the words "whenever" and "wherever," meaning "it doesn't matter when" and "it doesn't matter where."

From popular songs to written and spoken communication, English speakers use what are called "-ever words" quite a lot. Today, we will explore the meanings and uses of these words.

Each one is formed by taking what we call "wh- question words" –like when and where -- and adding the word -ever to them.

A common structure for -ever words is: -ever word + subject + verb.

Everyday Grammar: Use -Ever Words Whenever You Like

And, as you will see, each word has two main meanings, and they are not very different.