Able in Different Languages
Discover 'Able' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'able' is a small but powerful term, denoting capability and potential. It carries a significant weight in our daily conversations and written communications, as it signifies one's capacity to perform a task or achieve a goal. Moreover, 'able' has a profound cultural importance, as it reflects our belief in human agency, resilience, and the power of possibility.
Given the globalized world we live in, understanding the translation of 'able' in different languages can be a valuable tool for effective communication and cross-cultural understanding. For instance, the French translation of 'able' is 'capable,' while in Spanish, it is 'capaz.' Meanwhile, in German, 'able' translates to 'fähig,' and in Japanese, it is 'able' is '能力がある (nouryoku ga aru).'
Delving into the translations of 'able' in various languages not only enriches our linguistic repertoire but also sheds light on the cultural nuances and values associated with the concept of ability. Join us as we explore the fascinating world of language and culture through the lens of the word 'able.'
Able
Able in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | bekwaam | ||
| The word 'bekwaam' is derived from the Dutch word 'bekwaam', which also means 'able' or 'competent'. | |||
| Amharic | መቻል | ||
| The Amharic word "መቻል" can also mean "having the opportunity" or "being permitted". | |||
| Hausa | iya | ||
| In Hausa, the word "iya" also means "to be possible" and is derived from the Arabic word "waqa`a" meaning "to happen". | |||
| Igbo | ike | ||
| The word "ike" in Igbo can also refer to "skill", "power", or "authority." | |||
| Malagasy | afaka | ||
| The word "afaka" is also used to mean "to be able to" or "to have the ability to do something". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kuthekera | ||
| "Kuthekera" in Nyanja is a term used to describe someone or something that is physically strong or capable. | |||
| Shona | kukwanisa | ||
| The Shona word "kukwanisa" can also refer to a "stick" or "something used in place of a hook" or a "prop". | |||
| Somali | awoodo | ||
| "Awoodo" is not only equivalent to "able" in English, but also refers to "ability," "skill," or "power." | |||
| Sesotho | khona | ||
| The word "khona" in Sesotho can also refer to the possession or existence of something. | |||
| Swahili | uwezo | ||
| "Uwezo" also means "capacity, power, or authority" in Swahili. | |||
| Xhosa | nako | ||
| The word 'nako' can also mean 'possible' or 'permissible' in Xhosa. | |||
| Yoruba | anfani | ||
| The word "anfani" can also be translated as "capacity" or "skill" in Yoruba. | |||
| Zulu | uyakwazi | ||
| 'Uyakwazi' is formed from the verb 'ukukwazi' which also means 'to be able' or 'to have the power to do something'. | |||
| Bambara | se | ||
| Ewe | te ŋu | ||
| Kinyarwanda | bashoboye | ||
| Lingala | kokoka | ||
| Luganda | obusobozi | ||
| Sepedi | kgona | ||
| Twi (Akan) | tumi | ||
Able in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | قادر | ||
| "قاد/قادر" (qādir) originates from the root word "ق-د-ر" (q-d-r), meaning "to be able, to have power, to measure, to decree." | |||
| Hebrew | יכול | ||
| The Hebrew word "יכול" (yachol) originally meant "to be permitted" and evolved to also mean "to be possible" and "to be able to". | |||
| Pashto | وړ | ||
| The word "وړ" in Pashto means "brave" or "skilled" and is related to the Persian word "ور" meaning "strength". | |||
| Arabic | قادر | ||
| "قاد/قادر" (qādir) originates from the root word "ق-د-ر" (q-d-r), meaning "to be able, to have power, to measure, to decree." | |||
Able in Western European Languages
| Albanian | në gjendje | ||
| The word "në gjendje" is sometimes used to refer to being in a specific state or condition. | |||
| Basque | gai | ||
| "Gai" is a common root meaning "to have" or "to be able to" that appears in various Basque verbs as well as the term "gaitasun," which means "ability" or "capacity." | |||
| Catalan | capaç | ||
| The Catalan word "capaç" can also mean capable of doing something | |||
| Croatian | sposoban | ||
| The word "sposoban" also means "inclined" or "disposed". | |||
| Danish | i stand | ||
| The word "kunne" in Danish means "able" and also comes from the Proto-Germanic word *kunnaną, which also means "to know". | |||
| Dutch | bekwaam | ||
| The word "bekwaam" is derived from the Old Dutch word "bequaem", which means "suitable" or "convenient". | |||
| English | able | ||
| The word "able" derives from the French word "habile", meaning "capable". | |||
| French | capable | ||
| The French word "capable" originates from the Latin "capere", meaning "to hold" or "to seize". | |||
| Frisian | steat | ||
| The word "steat" also means "sufficient" or "enough" and is related to the Dutch word "stade" with the same meaning. | |||
| Galician | capaz | ||
| The word "capaz" in Galician also means "container" or "vessel". | |||
| German | imstande | ||
| The word "imstande" is derived from the Old High German word "gistan," meaning "to stand" or "to be able." | |||
| Icelandic | fær | ||
| The Old Norse verb "færa" means "to go, carry, bring" or "to cause or make to go". "Fær" is its past participle, which also has passive and impersonal meaning, often corresponding with English words like "can", "may", "should" or "must". | |||
| Irish | ábalta | ||
| The Irish word 'ábalta' also means 'disabled', suggesting an interesting semantic transformation over time. | |||
| Italian | in grado | ||
| “In grado” also means “within the capacity” or “with the ability”. | |||
| Luxembourgish | kënnen | ||
| The word "kënnen" in Luxembourgish can also mean "know" or "to know how to do something". | |||
| Maltese | kapaċi | ||
| The word 'kapaċi' in Maltese derives from the Arabic 'qādir' ( قادر ), which also means 'powerful'. | |||
| Norwegian | i stand | ||
| The Norwegian word "i stand" can also mean "to understand" or "to be able to". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | capaz | ||
| "Capaz" in Portuguese can also mean "sufficient" or "adequate". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | comasach | ||
| The word 'comasach' is also used in Gaelic to refer to someone who is competent, efficient, or skilled. | |||
| Spanish | poder | ||
| The Spanish word "poder" comes from the Latin word "possum", which also means "be able". | |||
| Swedish | kapabel | ||
| "kapabel" is derived from a word meaning "to get hold of" and used to mean "to be capable of holding oneself on a horse", but now it is only used in the sense "to be able to do something". | |||
| Welsh | galluog | ||
| In some dialects, 'galluog' also translates to 'strong, capable, efficient, or competent'. | |||
Able in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | здольны | ||
| "Здольны" means "capable" and comes from the Proto-Slavic root *dolguъ, which also meant "capable". | |||
| Bosnian | sposoban | ||
| The root of 'sposoban' is 'sposobe' which means 'to be capable' but it can also mean 'a method' or 'a way' in Bosnian. | |||
| Bulgarian | способен | ||
| The word "способен" comes from the Old Church Slavonic word "съпобъ" (sъpobъ), meaning "suitable, capable." | |||
| Czech | schopný | ||
| The word 'schopný' also means 'capable', 'talented', or 'skilled' in Czech. | |||
| Estonian | võimeline | ||
| The word "võimeline" is derived from the Proto-Uralic word *wońi, meaning "power" or "ability." | |||
| Finnish | pystyy | ||
| The word "pystyy" in Finnish has been borrowed from Swedish, where it means "vertically". In Finnish, it also has the alternate meaning of "able". | |||
| Hungarian | képes | ||
| The Hungarian word "képes" originally meant "painted" or "picture". | |||
| Latvian | spējīgs | ||
| The Latvian word "spējīgs" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *speh₂-, meaning "to succeed, thrive". | |||
| Lithuanian | sugeba | ||
| Lithuanian word "sugeba" (able) derives from the word "gebėti" (to be able to do), related to German "könne" (can) and "wissen" (to know). | |||
| Macedonian | способен | ||
| The word "способен" also means "capable" or "apt" in Macedonian. | |||
| Polish | zdolny | ||
| 'Zdolny' comes from the Proto-Slavic root *dolgъ, which means 'long' or 'high'. | |||
| Romanian | in stare | ||
| The Romanian word "în stare" has the same etymology as the French word "en état", both meaning "in a state". This suggests that the original meaning of the Romanian word was "in a state to do something", which evolved over time to its current meaning of "able". | |||
| Russian | способный | ||
| The Russian слово способный can also mean 'qualified' or 'talented' | |||
| Serbian | способан | ||
| "Способан" also means "fit" or "suitable" and comes from the same root as the word "способ" (way, means, method). | |||
| Slovak | schopný | ||
| The word "schopný" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *sopъ, meaning "fit" or "suitable". | |||
| Slovenian | sposoben | ||
| The Slovenian word 'sposoben' initially denoted a husband or a spouse. | |||
| Ukrainian | здатний | ||
| The word "здатний" can also mean "capable" or "talented". | |||
Able in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | সক্ষম | ||
| সক্ষম can also mean 'capable of' or 'having the power to do something'. | |||
| Gujarati | સક્ષમ | ||
| "સક્ષમ" is derived from the Sanskrit word "sakta" meaning "powerful" or "capable" and also refers to "competence" or "authority". | |||
| Hindi | योग्य | ||
| The word "योग्य" in Hindi is derived from the Sanskrit word "योग्य," which means "worthy" or "suitable." | |||
| Kannada | ಸಮರ್ಥ | ||
| The word "ಸಮರ್ಥ" can also mean "competent" or "capable" in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | കഴിവുള്ള | ||
| Although the word "കഴിവുള്ള" literally means "having ability" in Malayalam, an alternate term for "ability" in Malayalam is "കഴിവ്". | |||
| Marathi | सक्षम | ||
| The word "सक्षम" in Marathi derives from the Sanskrit word "समर्थ ("samarth")", meaning "capable or competent" or from "सह ("sah")" meaning "with or together" and "क्षम ("ksham")" meaning "able or capable". It shares a root with the English word "capacity". | |||
| Nepali | सक्षम | ||
| The word 'सक्षम' originates from the Sanskrit root 'क्षम्' meaning 'to be able' or 'to be capable'. | |||
| Punjabi | ਯੋਗ | ||
| The word "ਯੋਗ" in Punjabi can also mean "suitable" or "appropriate". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | පුළුවන් | ||
| The Sinhalese word "පුළුවන්" derives from the Proto-Dravidian word *pul-, meaning "to be able" or "to be possible." | |||
| Tamil | முடியும் | ||
| The Tamil verb 'mudiyum' also means 'to end' or 'to die'. | |||
| Telugu | సామర్థ్యం | ||
| The word "సామర్థ్యం" (sāmarthyam) in Telugu is derived from the Sanskrit word "समर्थ" (samartha), meaning "capable". It also has the alternate meaning of "power". | |||
| Urdu | قابل | ||
| Urdu word "قابل" also refers to "deserving" and is used as a noun with the alternate spelling "قابلیّت" to mean "capability". | |||
Able in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 能够 | ||
| "能够" originally meant "having the capacity to do something" and could also be used as a modal verb. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 能夠 | ||
| In Classical Chinese, "能夠" had a more specific meaning of "capable of learning or comprehending". | |||
| Japanese | できる | ||
| "できる" means "able" in Japanese, but it can also mean "can" or "to do" and is the potential form of the verb. | |||
| Korean | 할 수 있는 | ||
| The word 할 수 있는 (able) originates from the Proto-Korean *har-, meaning "to be able to, can". | |||
| Mongolian | боломжтой | ||
| Боломжтой is the Mongolian word for the Tibetan "Dza", the last letter of the Tibetan alphabet, which is also used as the symbol for "ability". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | တတ်နိုင် | ||
Able in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | sanggup | ||
| The word "sanggup" can also mean "competent", "capable", or "willing". | |||
| Javanese | saged | ||
| The term "saged" in Javanese has an etymology related to the concept of "being adept," "having the ability," and "possessing the competence." | |||
| Khmer | អាច | ||
| In Khmer, "អាច" can also refer to power, authority, or permission. | |||
| Lao | ສາມາດ | ||
| "ສາມາດ" can also be used to refer to the "measure" of one's abilities. | |||
| Malay | mampu | ||
| The Old Malay word “mampu” can also mean “to know how to” or “to have the skill”. | |||
| Thai | สามารถ | ||
| Thai "สามารถ" comes from Sanskrit "sam-arthah" and Pali "sama-attha" meaning "complete in meaning". | |||
| Vietnamese | có thể | ||
| The word "có thể" comes either from Chinese "可" (kě), meaning "can, may"; or from the native Vietnamese words "có" and "thể". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kaya | ||
Able in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | bacarır | ||
| Bacarır, meaning 'able' in Azerbaijani, originates from the Persian word 'bakhār' meaning 'capable' or 'adequate'. | |||
| Kazakh | қабілетті | ||
| The Kazakh word "қабілетті" also has the meanings "capable" and "talented". | |||
| Kyrgyz | жөндөмдүү | ||
| The word "жөндөмдүү" can also mean "talented" or "capable" in Kyrgyz. | |||
| Tajik | қодир | ||
| }қодир” means “mighty” or “powerful” in Arabic. | |||
| Turkmen | başarýar | ||
| Uzbek | qodir | ||
| The word "qodir" in Uzbek derives from the Arabic word "qadir", which also means "powerful". | |||
| Uyghur | ئىقتىدارلىق | ||
Able in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | hiki | ||
| Derived from Proto-Austronesian *zaki, the word can also mean 'ready,' 'prepared,' 'set,' or 'to be about to'. | |||
| Maori | taea | ||
| The word 'taea' in Maori also refers to the power or capability to do something. | |||
| Samoan | mafai | ||
| Mafai in Samoan is also an antonym of the word mamafa or 'disobedient,' with both sharing the root fa'a meaning 'to do' or 'to make' | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | nagagawa | ||
| The word "nagagawa" is derived from the root word "gawa", meaning "to do" or "to make", and is used to indicate the ability to perform an action. | |||
Able in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | kapasa | ||
| Guarani | katupyry | ||
Able in International Languages
| Esperanto | kapabla | ||
| The word "kapabla" in Esperanto is derived from the French word "capable", which means "able" or "competent." | |||
| Latin | potes | ||
| The term 'potes' is a nominative case in the 3rd person singular and plural of the present subjunctive, and the 2nd person singular and plural of the present indicative for the -potis conjugation of the verb possum, meaning 'to be able to'. | |||
Able in Others Languages
| Greek | ικανός | ||
| "Ικανός" can also refer to adequacy, competence, or sufficiency. | |||
| Hmong | muaj peev xwm | ||
| The word "muaj peev xwm" in Hmong can also refer to "having the ability," "being capable," or "being competent." | |||
| Kurdish | kêrhat | ||
| The word "kêrhat" in Kurdish also refers to the ability to perform a task or the competence to do something. | |||
| Turkish | yapabilmek | ||
| The word "yapabilmek" ultimately derives from the verb "yapmak" (to make), and can also mean "to be able to do something". | |||
| Xhosa | nako | ||
| The word 'nako' can also mean 'possible' or 'permissible' in Xhosa. | |||
| Yiddish | קענען | ||
| The Yiddish word "קענען" (kenen) is cognate with the German word "können" (to be able), suggesting its Germanic origins and influence on Yiddish. | |||
| Zulu | uyakwazi | ||
| 'Uyakwazi' is formed from the verb 'ukukwazi' which also means 'to be able' or 'to have the power to do something'. | |||
| Assamese | সক্ষম | ||
| Aymara | kapasa | ||
| Bhojpuri | काबिल | ||
| Dhivehi | ކުރެވޭނެ | ||
| Dogri | काबल | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kaya | ||
| Guarani | katupyry | ||
| Ilocano | addaan kabaelan | ||
| Krio | ebul | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | توانا | ||
| Maithili | योग्य | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯇꯧꯕ ꯉꯝꯕ | ||
| Mizo | thei | ||
| Oromo | danda'uu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସକ୍ଷମ | ||
| Quechua | uyakuy | ||
| Sanskrit | सक्षमः | ||
| Tatar | сәләтле | ||
| Tigrinya | ምኽኣል | ||
| Tsonga | kota | ||