able in the Oxford-Hachette French Dictionary

Translations for able in the English»French Dictionary

able [Brit ˈeɪb(ə)l, Am ˈeɪbəl] ADJ To be able to meaning can is usually translated by the verb pouvoir: I was not able to go = je ne pouvais pas y aller; I was not able to help him = je ne pouvais pas l'aider. The main exception to this occurs when to be able to implies the acquiring of a skill, when savoir is used: he's nine and he's still not able to read = il a neuf ans et il ne sait toujours pas lire.
For more examples and other uses, see the entry below.

1. able (having ability to):

to be able to do/be

pouvoir faire/être

he was/wasn't able to read it

il pouvait/ne pouvait pas le lire

she was able to play the piano at the age of four

elle savait jouer du piano à quatre ans

I'll be (better) able to give you more information after the meeting

je serai en mesure de or je pourrai vous donner plus de renseignements après la réunion

2. able:

able (skilled) lawyer, teacher etc

compétent

able (gifted) child

doué

able seaman, able-bodied seaman N

able seaman

matelot m de deuxième classe

able-bodied ADJ

able-bodied

robuste, fort

able rating N

able rating

matelot m breveté

get-at-able [Brit ɡɛtˈatəb(ə)l, Am ɡɛdˈædəb(ə)l] ADJ inf

to be/not to be get-at-able object:

être facile/difficile à atteindre

unget-at-able [Brit ʌnɡɛtˈatəb(ə)l, Am ˌənˌɡɛdˈædəb(ə)l] ADJ inf

unget-at-able

inaccessible

Your search term in other parts of the dictionary

extraordinarily able, gifted, kind

extraordinairement

academically able, excellent, interesting, respectable

sur le plan intellectuel

Translations for able in the French»English Dictionary

Your search term in other parts of the dictionary

qualifiable équipe, joueur

able to qualify never attr

valide personne, population

able-bodied

able in the PONS Dictionary

Translations for able in the English»French Dictionary

able [ˈeɪbl] ADJ

1. able <more [or better] able, most [or best] able> (having the ability):

able

capable

to be able to +infin

pouvoir +infin

to be able to +infin

savoir +infin Belg

to be able to swim/drive

savoir nager/conduire

2. able <abler, ablest> <[or more able, most able]> (clever):

able

apte

able-bodied ADJ

able-bodied

valide

get-at-able ADJ inf

get-at-able

accessible

Your search term in other parts of the dictionary

able seaman Brit

matelot breveté

to really be able to dish it out

pouvoir cogner fort

Translations for able in the French»English Dictionary

Your search term in other parts of the dictionary

valide personne

able-bodied

apte

able

je ne pourrai pas redormir de la nuit

I'll never be able to get to sleep again

ne pas pouvoir suivre le rythme

not to be able to keep up

tenir l'alcool

to be able to hold one's drink

able Examples from the PONS Dictionary (editorially verified)

to not be able to stand doing sth

ne pas supporter de faire qc

to not be able to stand sb doing sth

ne pas supporter que qn fasse qc subj

to be able to afford (to do) sth

pouvoir se permettre (de faire) qc

to be able to hold one's drink

tenir l'alcool

to be able to do business with sb

pouvoir travailler avec qn

not to be able to hack it

ne pas pouvoir s'en sortir

several of them together were able to ...

à plusieurs ils ont pu ...

to be unsure about being able to +infin

être incertain de pouvoir +infin

to be able to wait/say no

savoir attendre/dire non

he alone is able to do it

il est seul capable de le faire

Monolingual examples (not verified by PONS Editors)

English

Not being able to quickly solve this problem, the trip was rescheduled for the summer of 1940.

en.wikipedia.org

The endurance squad were able to turn the flying start to their advantage and took a clean victory over the sprinters.

en.wikipedia.org

However, other researchers have not been able to identify a definitive link between ovarian cancer and talcum powder.

www.digitaljournal.com

Many felt disenfranchised by what they saw as a bureaucratic system that favored the land-holding class able to afford the best education.

en.wikipedia.org

Prior to this rule change, a batter was able to try for first at any time before entering the dugout.

en.wikipedia.org

They contacted us, and we were able to ourselves - you cold-call universities in the state and find a psychologist who had familiarity with this population.

www.npr.org

Hunter is able to take a stand against the accusations leveled against him by the parents at the meeting.

en.wikipedia.org

By this action alone the company was able to gain its first foothold on the precipitous ground.

en.wikipedia.org

And we were able to really stylize the group, for each song, very individually.

www.newsweek.com

He draws from the piano tones that are purer, mellower and stronger than anyone has been able to do; his touch has an indescribable charm....

en.wikipedia.org