Ability vs Capability vs Competence vs Power vs Skill
Cuándo usar cada una en inglés, con significado, registro y ejemplos.
Ability
Capability
Competence
Power
Skill
| Ability | Capability | Competence | Power | Skill | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciación | 🇬🇧 /["/əˈbɪləti/"]/🇺🇸 /["/əˈbɪləti/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ˌkeɪpəˈbɪləti/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˌkeɪpəˈbɪləti/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈkɒmpɪtəns/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈkɑːmpɪtəns/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈpaʊə(r)/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈpaʊər/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/skɪl/"]/🇺🇸 /["/skɪl/"]/ |
| Significado | The skill to do something. | The ability to do something. | the ability to do something well | The ability to do something or to control people or things. | The ability to do something well, usually because of training or practice. |
| Ejemplo | She has the ability to learn new languages quickly. | Her capability as a leader impressed everyone at the meeting. | Her competence in multiple languages impresses her colleagues. | The power of the wind can generate electricity. | He has a skill for painting that impresses everyone. |
| Registro | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
| Qué tan común | Top 1000 (muy común) | Top 2000 (común) | Top 2000 (común) | Top 1000 (muy común) | Top 1000 (muy común) |
| Nivel CEFR | A2 | C1 | C1 | A2 | A1 |
| Categoría gramatical | noun | noun | noun | noun | noun |
| Colocaciones | exceptional, extraordinary, great, level, have, possess, retain, ability in, to the best of your ability, high, limited, low, assess, measure, test, level, range, a range of ability, a range of abilities | advanced, enhanced, limited, demonstrate, have, possess, beyond somebody’s capability, within somebody’s capability, capability for, advanced, enhanced, limited, demonstrate, have, possess, beyond somebody’s capability, within somebody’s capability, capability for | great, basic, academic, have, demonstrate, display, beyond somebody’s competence, within somebody’s competence, competence as, a level of competence, a standard of competence, formal, exclusive, have, outside somebody/something’s competence, within somebody/something’s competence, an area of competence | absolute, ultimate, considerable, come to, rise to, assume, be concentrated in (the hands of somebody/something), flow from somebody/something, lie with somebody/something, struggle, relations, structure, in power, in somebody’s power, power of, abuse of power, the balance of power, a bid for power, absolute, ultimate, considerable, come to, rise to, assume, be concentrated in (the hands of somebody/something), flow from somebody/something, lie with somebody/something, struggle, relations, structure, in power, in somebody’s power, power of, abuse of power, the balance of power, a bid for power, full, reduced, electric, generate, produce, provide (somebody/something with), drive something, run something, go off, cable, grid, line, power for, a source of power, full, reduced, electric, generate, produce, provide (somebody/something with), drive something, run something, go off, cable, grid, line, power for, a source of power, awesome, great, real, awesome, great, real, air, combat, military, have, possess, use, beyond somebody/something’s power, in somebody’s power, within somebody’s power, at the height of your powers, at the peak of your powers, at the zenith of your powers, air, combat, military, have, possess, use, beyond somebody/something’s power, in somebody’s power, within somebody’s power, at the height of your powers, at the peak of your powers, at the zenith of your powers, air, combat, military, have, possess, use, beyond somebody/something’s power, in somebody’s power, within somebody’s power, at the height of your powers, at the peak of your powers, at the zenith of your powers, absolute, ultimate, considerable, come to, rise to, assume, be concentrated in (the hands of somebody/something), flow from somebody/something, lie with somebody/something, struggle, relations, structure, in power, in somebody’s power, power of, abuse of power, the balance of power, a bid for power, great, major, world, air, combat, military, have, possess, use, beyond somebody/something’s power, in somebody’s power, within somebody’s power, at the height of your powers, at the peak of your powers, at the zenith of your powers, air, combat, military, have, possess, use, beyond somebody/something’s power, in somebody’s power, within somebody’s power, at the height of your powers, at the peak of your powers, at the zenith of your powers, absolute, ultimate, considerable, come to, rise to, assume, be concentrated in (the hands of somebody/something), flow from somebody/something, lie with somebody/something, struggle, relations, structure, in power, in somebody’s power, power of, abuse of power, the balance of power, a bid for power | considerable, consummate, extraordinary, range, set, have, possess, combine, level, set, acquisition, with skill, skill as, skill at, a degree of skill, a level of skill, a lack of skill, considerable, consummate, extraordinary, range, set, have, possess, combine, level, set, acquisition, with skill, skill as, skill at, a degree of skill, a level of skill, a lack of skill |
| Antónimos | inability, ineptness | incapability, inability | incompetence, ineptitude | weakness, ineffectiveness | inability, ignorance |
| Errores comunes | Confused with 'capability' — 'ability' refers to a skill, while 'capability' refers to the potential to develop a skill., Using 'ability' without a verb or context can make sentences unclear., Incorrectly pluralizing as 'abilities' when referring to a single skill. | Confusing with 'capacity' which refers to volume or quantity., Using it as a verb instead of a noun., Misplacing the emphasis in pronunciation. | Confused with 'competency'; both refer to abilities but 'competence' is broader., Misused as a verb; 'competence' is always a noun., Spelling errors, especially with the second 'e'. | 'Power' as a verb — learners often mistakenly use 'power' when they mean to say 'empower'., Confusing 'power' with 'might', as they have different nuances., Misusing 'power' in phrases, e.g., 'the power of' requires a specified noun. | Confused with 'ability' — skill usually implies training or practice., Used as a verb incorrectly — skill is a noun. |
| Notas de uso | Use 'ability' in contexts where referring to someone's skills or talents. Avoid it in very casual conversations where simpler words like 'skill' may be more appropriate. | Use 'capability' in professional or academic contexts to discuss skills or potential. It's not commonly used in casual conversations. | Use 'competence' in contexts such as job skills or educational achievements. Avoid in very casual conversations; prefer 'skill' or 'ability' instead. | Used in both formal and informal contexts. In discussions about politics or leadership, 'power' often has a weighty connotation, while in casual settings it might refer to electricity or strength. Avoid using it in overly casual contexts when discussing serious topics. | Use 'skill' to talk about abilities in various contexts, from sports to arts. Avoid using it in very informal settings where simpler terms like 'talent' might fit better. |
Preguntas frecuentes: Ability vs Capability vs Competence vs Power vs Skill
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre Ability, Capability, Competence, Power y Skill?
Ability: The skill to do something. Capability: The ability to do something. Competence: the ability to do something well Power: The ability to do something or to control people or things. Skill: The ability to do something well, usually because of training or practice.
¿Ability, Capability, Competence, Power y Skill tienen el mismo nivel CEFR?
Ability: A2, Capability: C1, Competence: C1, Power: A2, Skill: A1 en la escala CEFR.
¿Qué categoría gramatical son Ability, Capability, Competence, Power y Skill?
Ability: noun, Capability: noun, Competence: noun, Power: noun, Skill: noun.
¿Puedes mostrar un ejemplo de cada una?
Ability: She has the ability to learn new languages quickly. Capability: Her capability as a leader impressed everyone at the meeting. Competence: Her competence in multiple languages impresses her colleagues. Power: The power of the wind can generate electricity. Skill: He has a skill for painting that impresses everyone.
¿Puedo usar Ability, Capability, Competence, Power y Skill indistintamente?
No siempre. Ability, Capability, Competence, Power y Skill están relacionadas y a veces se solapan, pero difieren en registro, frecuencia y uso, así que cambiar una por otra puede alterar el significado o el tono. Revisa las diferencias de arriba antes de sustituir.