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9-M) Be able to
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The expression "be able to" means the same as "can", but it is used differently.
El verbo especial CAN y el verbo normal BE ABLE TO significan lo mismo:
- She's able to speak German = ella es capaz de hablar alemán.
- She can speak German = ella puede/sabe hablar alemán.
Pero el verbo CAN sólo se puede usar en presente (can = puedo), pasado (could = pude) y condicional (could = podría), así que para los demás tiempos verbales sólo podemos usar la forma BE ABLE TO.
- If you tell me more, I will be able to help you = si me cuentas más, podré ayudarte (= seré capaz de ayudarte)
- She has never been able to sit for more than 5 minutes = nunca ha podido estar sentada más de cinco minutos (=nunca ha sido capaz de estar sentada...).
Report mistakesBE ABLE TO
The special verb CAN and the normal verb BE ABLE TO have the same meaning.
- She's able to speak German = She can speak German
- I'm not able to do that = I can't do that
- Are you able to drive a bus? = Can you drive a bus?
The verb CAN is "defective", it is only used in the present, past and conditional:
present 
You can dance very well
past I could climb trees when I was a child
conditional I could help you if you let me
So for the rest of tenses we can only use the form BE ABLE TO.
future If you practise a lot, you will be able to do it (not: you will can do it)
infinitive I want to be able to finish in time
present perfect She has never been able to sit for more than 5 minutes
etc.
