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Eres capaz de responder preguntas difíciles.

Eres capaz de responder preguntas difíciles.
You are capable of answering difficult questions.
FromLesson 13inHardcore Spanish (Spain)

Questions & Answers about Eres capaz de responder preguntas difíciles.

Why is eres used here instead of estás?
Because capaz expresses an inherent ability or permanent characteristic, so it pairs with ser rather than estar. Using estás would suggest a temporary state (“you are temporarily capable”), which isn’t the intended meaning.
What does capaz de mean, and why is there a de?
The adjective capaz means “capable.” It requires the preposition de when it’s followed by an infinitive verb. So capaz de responder literally means “capable of answering.”
Could I say eres capaz a responder or omit the de?
No. The correct construction is capaz de. Prepositions in Spanish are fixed in many adjective-plus-infinitive patterns. Changing or dropping de would be ungrammatical.
Why is the adjective difíciles placed after preguntas instead of before?
Most descriptive adjectives in Spanish come after the noun. Saying preguntas difíciles (“questions difficult”) is the normal order. Placing difíciles before (difíciles preguntas) sounds poetic or emphatic, not standard.
Why isn’t there an article before preguntas difíciles (for example, las preguntas difíciles)?
Omitting the article makes the phrase general (“difficult questions in general”). If you said las preguntas difíciles, you’d be referring to a specific set of difficult questions previously identified.
Can I use puedes responder preguntas difíciles instead of eres capaz de responder preguntas difíciles?

Yes, you can say puedes responder preguntas difíciles, which means “you can answer difficult questions.” The nuance:

  • puedes focuses on possibility or permission.
  • eres capaz de highlights competence or ability.
Is eres capaz de responder formal or informal?
This sentence uses eres (tú-form), so it’s informal. For a formal context you’d use es usted capaz de responder preguntas difíciles or simply ¿Es capaz de responder preguntas difíciles?
Could I use a different adjective instead of difíciles, like complicadas?
Yes. complicadas also works: eres capaz de responder preguntas complicadas. They’re near-synonyms, though difíciles is more common for “hard” or “challenging.”
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