'Capable of Doing' or 'Capable to Do'? Which One Is Correct? | Mastering Grammar

(Last Updated: 28 January 2024)

Capable of Doing or Capable to Do: Which One Is Correct?

The adjective capable is not followed by an infinitive (to + base verb). Instead, we use the pattern capable of doing something:

✅ She is capable of learning multiple languages simultaneously.
❌ She is capable to learn multiple languages simultaneously.

✅ Despite his age, he is still capable of running five kilometres every morning.
❌ Despite his age, he is still capable to run five kilometres every morning.

✅ The new software is capable of processing large amounts of data in seconds.
❌ The new software is capable to process large amounts of data in seconds.

✅ The virus is capable of spreading rapidly in crowded places.
❌ The virus is capable to spread rapidly in crowded places.

The entry for the adjective capable in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

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Examples from the Media

A U.S. submarine capable of launching nuclear ballistic missiles arrived in South Korea on Tuesday for the first time in four decades, the latest effort by Washington to boost South Koreans' trust in its commitment to defending the country against North Korea. —The New York Times (2023)

These are true medical emergencies and it is what I'm trained to do, something that only a very few of us in society are capable of doing. —Toronto Star (2023)

The ultimate goal, according to some researchers, is to create an AI capable of processing information in all the ways a human can. —The Sydney Morning Herald (2023)

The general also said that Britain could only claim to be one of Nato's leaders if it could muster a military capable of fighting anywhere around the world and under any circumstances. —Daily Mail (2023)