Cool MateCapable vs He's really good
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Capable
Top 2,000 (common)B2adjective
He's really good
Top 5,000 (fairly common)
Most common: Capable
| Capable | He's really good | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈkeɪpəbl/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈkeɪpəbl/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //hiːz ˈrɪəliɡʊd//🇺🇸 //hiz ˈrɪliɡʊd// |
| Meaning | able to do something; having the skill or power to do it | He is very skilled or talented. |
| Example | She is quite capable of handling difficult situations on her own. | He's really good at cooking Italian food. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 5,000 (fairly common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | - |
| Part of speech | adjective | |
| Collocations | appear, be, feel, fully, more than, perfectly, be, seem, extremely, fairly, very | really good at, really good for, really good to see |
| Antonyms | incapable, unable | - |
| 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). | Using 'good' instead of 'well' for skills (e.g., 'He plays good' instead of 'He plays well')., Overusing the phrase; it's better to specify the skill for clarity., Confusing 'good' with 'great' - they have different levels of 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 to express strong approval of someone's abilities. Common in both spoken and written English. Can be informal in some contexts. |
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Frequently asked questions: Capable vs He's really good
What's the difference between Capable and He's really good?
Capable: able to do something; having the skill or power to do it He's really good: He is very skilled or talented.
Which is more common: Capable and He's really good?
Capable is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Capable: She is quite capable of handling difficult situations on her own. He's really good: He's really good at cooking Italian food.
Can I use Capable and He's really good interchangeably?
Not always. Capable and He's really good 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.