Cool MateCompetent vs Qualified
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Competent
Top 2,000 (common)C1adjective
Qualified
Top 1,000 (very common)B1adjective
Most common: Qualified
| Competent | Qualified | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈkɒmpɪtənt/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈkɑːmpɪtənt/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈkwɒlɪfaɪd/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈkwɑːlɪfaɪd/"]/ |
| Meaning | Able to do something well | Having the right skills or knowledge for a job. |
| Example | She is a competent lawyer who always wins her cases. | 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 | C1 | B1 |
| Part of speech | adjective | adjective |
| Collocations | be, feel, look, extremely, fairly, very, in, be, feel, look, extremely, fairly, very, in | be, become, get, highly, well, fully, as, be, feel, eminently, ideally, uniquely, be, heavily |
| Antonyms | incompetent, inept, unqualified | unqualified, incompetent |
| Common mistakes | 'Competency' is confused with 'competence' despite the latter being more commonly used., Using 'competent' as a noun instead of an adjective., Confusing 'competent' with 'complacent', which means self-satisfied. | Confusing 'qualified' with 'qualifying', Using 'qualified' without specifying what for, Mispronouncing 'qualified' with an incorrect emphasis |
| Usage notes | Use 'competent' to describe someone who can perform a task effectively. It's appropriate in professional or academic contexts, but may sound too formal in casual conversations. | Used when discussing someone's abilities in a work context. Appropriately used in job interviews and resumes, but avoid informal situations. |
Frequently asked questions: Competent vs Qualified
What's the difference between Competent and Qualified?
Competent: Able to do something well Qualified: Having the right skills or knowledge for a job.
Which is more common: Competent and Qualified?
Qualified is the most common in everyday English.
Are Competent and Qualified the same CEFR level?
Competent: C1, Qualified: B1 on the CEFR scale.
Can I use Competent and Qualified interchangeably?
Not always. Competent 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.