A close-up view of a person's hands expertly using a small, sharp chisel to carve a detailed, smooth wooden figure, showing precision and skill.

habilidades

ah-bee-lee-DAH-des

Nounf (plural)A1

skills?General capacities or proficiencies,abilities?Innate or learned powers

Also:capabilities?Potential for development

📝 In Action

Necesitas desarrollar tus habilidades comunicativas para el trabajo.

You need to develop your communication skills for the job.

¿Cuáles son las habilidades blandas más importantes hoy en día?

What are the most important soft skills nowadays?

Ella tiene muchas habilidades artísticas, como pintar y dibujar.

She has many artistic abilities, like painting and drawing.

Word Connections

Synonyms

destrezas (skills, dexterity)
capacidades (capacities)
talentos (talents)

Antonyms

debilidades (weaknesses)
incapacidades (inabilities)

Common Collocations

habilidades sociales – social skills
habilidades técnicas – technical skills
habilidades de liderazgo – leadership skills

💡 Grammar Points

Always Feminine

The word 'habilidad' (singular) is always feminine, so when it is plural ('habilidades'), it requires feminine articles and adjectives: 'las habilidades nuevas' (the new skills).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using the wrong article

Mistake: "Los habilidades"

Correction: Las habilidades. Remember, the base word 'habilidad' ends in -dad, which is a strong hint that the word is feminine.

⭐ Usage Tips

Singular vs. Plural

In Spanish, we usually use the plural form 'habilidades' when talking about a general set of proficiencies, similar to how we use 'skills' in English.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: habilidades

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'habilidades'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

habilidad(skill, ability (singular)) - noun

hábil(skillful, able) - adjective

habilidoso(highly skilled, clever) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'habilidades' the same as 'destrezas'?

They are very similar synonyms. 'Habilidades' (abilities) is the broader term. 'Destrezas' often implies skills that require physical dexterity, practice, or specific training (like a trade or a sport), but they are often interchangeable.

How do I say 'soft skills' and 'hard skills' in Spanish?

We commonly use the phrases 'habilidades blandas' for soft skills (like communication or teamwork) and 'habilidades duras' or 'habilidades técnicas' for hard skills (like coding or accounting).