Capable vs Qualified

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Capable

Top 2,000 (common) B2 adjective

Qualified

Top 1,000 (very common) B1 adjective

Most common: Qualified

	Capable	Qualified
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/ˈkeɪpəbl/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈkeɪpəbl/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/ˈkwɒlɪfaɪd/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈkwɑːlɪfaɪd/"]/
Meaning	able to do something; having the skill or power to do it	Having the right skills or knowledge for a job.
Example	She is quite capable of handling difficult situations on her own.	She is a highly qualified teacher with years of experience.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 2,000 (common)	Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level	B2	B1
Part of speech	adjective	adjective
Collocations	appear, be, feel, fully, more than, perfectly, be, seem, extremely, fairly, very	be, become, get, highly, well, fully, as, be, feel, eminently, ideally, uniquely, be, heavily
Antonyms	incapable, unable	unqualified, incompetent
Common mistakes	Confused about using 'capable of' versus 'capable for'., Using 'capability' instead of 'capable' incorrectly., Using 'capable' as an adverb (it’s an adjective).	Confusing 'qualified' with 'qualifying', Using 'qualified' without specifying what for, Mispronouncing 'qualified' with an incorrect emphasis
Usage notes	Use 'capable' to describe someone or something that has the ability to achieve a task. It's suitable in both personal and professional contexts. Avoid using it in overly casual situations.	Used when discussing someone's abilities in a work context. Appropriately used in job interviews and resumes, but avoid informal situations.

See it in real clips

House Of Dragons › S1 E1

Of course, no maester's capable of rendering an opinion

Breaking Bad › S1 E2

capable of acting out of mutual self-interest, yes?

Breaking Bad › S1 E7

And the Gustav was capable of firing a 7-ton shell

House Of Dragons › S1 E1

Of course, no maester's capable of rendering an opinion

Breaking Bad › S1 E2

capable of acting out of mutual self-interest, yes?

Capable

Frequently asked questions: Capable vs Qualified

What's the difference between Capable and Qualified?

Capable: able to do something; having the skill or power to do it Qualified: Having the right skills or knowledge for a job.

Which is more common: Capable and Qualified?

Qualified is the most common in everyday English.

Which is more advanced: Capable and Qualified?

Capable is the highest level, at B2, on the CEFR scale.

Are Capable and Qualified the same CEFR level?

Capable: B2, Qualified: B1 on the CEFR scale.

What part of speech are Capable and Qualified?

Capable: adjective, Qualified: adjective.

Can you show an example of each?

Capable: She is quite capable of handling difficult situations on her own. Qualified: She is a highly qualified teacher with years of experience.

Can I use Capable and Qualified interchangeably?

Not always. Capable and Qualified are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.