Inklingo
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capacidad

/kah-pah-see-dahd/

ability

A young person standing confidently while effortlessly juggling three brightly colored balls high in the air, demonstrating natural skill.

Capacidad meaning 'ability' shown by a person skillfully juggling.

capacidad(noun)

fB1

ability

?

natural skill or talent

,

capability

?

potential to achieve something

Also:

competence

?

professional skill

,

power

?

mental or physical strength

📝 In Action

Tiene una gran capacidad para aprender idiomas rápidamente.

B1

She has a great ability to learn languages quickly.

Dudo de mi capacidad para terminar el proyecto a tiempo.

B2

I doubt my capability to finish the project on time.

Todos tenemos la capacidad de cambiar nuestras vidas.

B1

We all have the capacity (potential) to change our lives.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • incapacidad (inability)

Common Collocations

  • gran capacidad – great ability/capacity
  • capacidad mental – mental capacity

💡 Grammar Points

Always Feminine

Even though it ends in '-d', 'capacidad' is always a feminine noun, so you use feminine articles: 'la capacidad', 'una capacidad'.

Using 'de' after

When talking about the ability to do something, use the preposition 'de' followed by the base form of the verb (the infinitive): 'capacidad de trabajar' (ability to work).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Gender confusion

Mistake: "El capacidad"

Correction: La capacidad. Remember most nouns ending in '-dad' are feminine.

⭐ Usage Tips

Formal vs. Informal

'Capacidad' sounds a bit more formal or technical than 'habilidad' (skill), but both are acceptable in daily conversation.

A transparent glass jar completely filled to the very top with small, colorful marbles, illustrating the maximum volume it can hold.

Capacidad meaning 'capacity' is illustrated by a jar filled to its maximum volume.

capacidad(noun)

fB2

capacity

?

volume or space something can hold

,

volume

?

physical measure of space

Also:

storage

?

technical/data context

,

seating limit

?

aforo (e.g., in a stadium)

📝 In Action

El estadio tiene una capacidad para 50,000 espectadores.

B2

The stadium has a capacity for 50,000 spectators.

El disco duro no tiene suficiente capacidad para guardar más archivos.

C1

The hard drive doesn't have enough capacity (storage) to save more files.

La capacidad de la batería es de 5000 miliamperios.

B2

The battery capacity is 5000 milliamperes.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • volumen (volume)
  • aforo (limit/occupancy)

Common Collocations

  • capacidad máxima – maximum capacity
  • capacidad de almacenamiento – storage capacity

💡 Grammar Points

Measure Words

When discussing physical volume, 'capacidad' often pairs with numbers and units of measure, such as 'capacidad para 10 litros' (capacity for 10 liters).

⭐ Usage Tips

Physical vs. Abstract

If you are measuring how much space something takes up (like a box or a computer chip), use this meaning. If you are describing a person's intelligence or skill, use the 'Ability' meaning.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: capacidad

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'capacidad' to mean 'volume or storage'?

📚 More Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'capacidad' a masculine or feminine noun?

'Capacidad' is always feminine. This is a common pattern: most Spanish nouns that end in -dad (like 'ciudad', 'libertad') are feminine.

What is the difference between 'capacidad' and 'habilidad'?

'Habilidad' usually refers to a specific, learned skill (like playing the piano). 'Capacidad' is broader; it refers to the potential or inherent power to do something (like the capacity for abstract thought).