Lección 11 · Etapa 1: Lo básico
“Be able to”
PrincipianteForma y uso
be able to + verbo — la capacidad, en cualquier tiempo
1.Forma
be able to + forma base: poder hacer algo, tener la capacidad de hacerlo. Solo be cambia según el tiempo (am / is / are, was / were, will be, have been…); able to y el verbo que sigue no cambian.
| Tiempo | Afirmativa | Negativa | Pregunta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Presente | She's able to walk again. | She isn't able to walk. | Is she able to walk? |
| Pasado | We were able to help. | We weren't able to help. | Were you able to help? |
| Futuro | I'll be able to come. | I won't be able to come. | Will you be able to come? |
| Present perfect | I've been able to save a bit. | I haven't been able to sleep. | Have you been able to rest? |
Las respuestas cortas repiten be / will / have: Yes, I was. / No, I won't. / No, I haven't. La negativa también puede ser unable to (algo formal): I'm unable to attend the meeting.
Able es un adjetivo (como tired o happy): piensa en “ser capaz de”. Por eso siempre necesita be delante, igual que en I am tired. Se dice I'm able to… / I'm not able to…, nunca “I able to…” ni “I don't able to…”.
2.Cuándo necesitas be able to
Como viste en la lección “Capacidad con ‘can / could’”, can solo tiene dos formas: can y could. En todos los demás casos, usa be able to en lugar de can.
1. El futuro: will be able to / won't be able to
After this course, you'll be able to order food in English.
Después de este curso, podrás pedir comida en inglés.
Sorry, I won't be able to make it on Saturday.
Lo siento, el sábado no voy a poder ir.
Cuando organizas o decides ahora algo para el futuro, can sigue siendo natural: I can see you tomorrow at ten. Pero cuando la capacidad todavía no existe y solo llegará más adelante (después de un curso, cuando te recuperes, cuando tengas vehículo…), usa will be able to.
2. Tiempos perfectos: have / has been able to
I haven't been able to reach him all day.
No he podido localizarlo en todo el día.
Since she got glasses, she's been able to read the board clearly.
Desde que usa lentes, puede leer bien lo que hay en la pizarra.
3. Después de otro verbo modal: might / may / should / must + be able to (no pueden ir dos verbos modales juntos)
Ask Minh — he might be able to fix it.
Pregúntale a Minh; quizá él pueda arreglarlo. (no: might can)
Nurses must be able to stay calm.
Los enfermeros tienen que saber mantener la calma.
4. Después de to y en forma -ing: to be able to, being able to
I want to be able to talk to my customers in English.
Quiero poder hablar con mis clientes en inglés.
Being able to drive makes life much easier.
Saber conducir te facilita mucho la vida.
Lo mismo pasa con used to: My grandpa used to be able to walk for hours. (Antes podía; ahora ya no.)
3.Presente: ¿can o am / is / are able to?
En presente, las dos formas son correctas, pero can es mucho más común en la conversación. Am / is / are able to suena más formal (aparece en correos y avisos) o recalca que alguien ya puede hacer algo después de un cambio.
I can speak a little Japanese.
Hablo un poco de japonés. (la forma habitual de decirlo)
Customers are able to change their booking online.
Los clientes pueden cambiar su reserva en línea. (aviso / formal)
After the operation, Grandpa is able to walk again.
Después de la operación, el abuelo puede volver a caminar. (recalca: ahora ya puede)
4.Pasado: ¿could, was able to o managed to?
| Lo que quieres decir | Se usa | Ejemplo |
|---|---|---|
| Capacidad general durante un periodo (sabías hacerlo) | could o was / were able to | At ten, I could swim a kilometre. |
| Lograr una cosa concreta en una ocasión concreta | was / were able to, managed to (no could) | The road was flooded, but we were able to get home. |
| No lograrlo (en los dos casos) | couldn't o wasn't / weren't able to | I couldn't find a parking space. |
Minh could run really fast when he was a kid.
Minh corría rapidísimo cuando era niño. (capacidad general)
Yesterday Minh managed to catch the last train.
Ayer Minh logró alcanzar el último tren. (una ocasión concreta; no: could catch)
It was a tough match, but we were able to win.
Fue un partido difícil, pero pudimos ganar.
The box was heavy, but I managed to carry it upstairs.
La caja pesaba mucho, pero logré subirla al piso de arriba.
Managed to + forma base recalca que fue difícil y costó esfuerzo. Negativa: didn't manage to (= couldn't).
Excepción: con see, hear, smell, taste, feel, understand, remember, could también sirve para una sola ocasión: When I opened the door, I could smell smoke.
Truco: si en español dirías “pude” o “logré” (una vez concreta) → was able to / managed to. Si dirías “podía” o “sabía” (en general, en aquella época) → could.
5.Errores comunes
I able to swim.I'm able to swim.
Able es un adjetivo: necesita be.
We weren't able find the hotel.We weren't able to find the hotel.
Después de able siempre va to.
I don't able to come.I'm not able to come.
La negativa se forma con be + not, no con don't.
I hope I can be able to visit you.I hope I'll be able to visit you.
No juntes can y be able to.
The bus was late, but I could arrive on time.The bus was late, but I managed to arrive on time.
Una ocasión concreta → managed to / was able to, no could.
She has able to drive since last year.She has been able to drive since last year.
Tiempo perfecto: has been able to.
Ejemplos
- I'm sorry, I won't be able to come to your party on Saturday.
- The lift is broken, so Grandma isn't able to get up to her flat on the ninth floor.
- She was able to swim when she was five.
- We weren't able to find a taxi, so we walked home.
