American English
/ˈkʰwɑ.lə.faɪ/
3 syllables · Stress the first syllable.
To meet the conditions needed to get or do something, or to move to the next stage of a competition.
Practice out loudTo meet the conditions needed to get or do something, or to move to the next stage of a competition.
You may qualify for a student loan.
The win qualified the team for the playoffs.
Here, qualify for means “meet the requirements for”; it does not mean “give someone a grade.”
qualify for financial aid · qualify for a loan · qualify for the playoffs · qualify for benefits
qualify for + noun
qualify someone for + noun
To complete the training and exams needed to work in a profession.
After two years of training, Maya qualified as a nurse.
Daniel qualified to practice law in California.
qualify as a nurse · qualify as a lawyer · qualify to practice
qualify as + profession
qualify to + verb
To add a condition or detail that makes a statement less strong or less general.
I should qualify that statement: the plan is still tentative.
She qualified her claim by saying that more research was needed.
qualify a statement · qualify a claim · qualify an answer
qualify + a statement
qualify what + someone + says
Before -es and -ed, the final y changes to i: qualifies, qualified. Before -ing, it stays y: qualifying.