incapaz
“incapaz” means “incapable” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
incapable, unable
Also: unfit
📝 In Action
Soy incapaz de concentrarme con tanto ruido.
B1I am unable to concentrate with so much noise.
Ella era incapaz de mentir, siempre decía la verdad.
B2She was incapable of lying; she always told the truth.
El sistema se demostró incapaz de manejar la demanda.
B2The system proved incapable of handling the demand.
incompetent person, bungler
Also: useless person
📝 In Action
No lo dejes a cargo, es un completo incapaz.
B2Don't leave him in charge, he is completely incompetent (a total bungler).
La junta directiva despidió a varios incapaces.
C1The board of directors fired several incompetent individuals.
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "incapaz" in Spanish:
bungler→incapable→incompetent person→unable→unfit→useless person→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: incapaz
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'incapaz' to mean 'unable to perform an action'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes directly from the Latin word *incapax*, formed by adding the negative prefix *in-* (meaning 'not') to *capax* (meaning 'capable' or 'able to hold'). It has maintained its core meaning of lacking the necessary ability since it entered Spanish.
First recorded: Medieval period (likely 13th century in documented texts)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'incapaz' change for masculine and feminine nouns?
No, it stays the same. Because it ends in 'z', it applies to both genders (el hombre incapaz, la mujer incapaz). You only change it to 'incapaces' for plural.
What is the most common mistake English speakers make when using 'incapaz'?
Forgetting the necessary preposition 'de'. In English, we say 'incapable of doing something,' and Spanish requires the same structure: 'incapaz de hacer algo'.