Una Palabra Sola Episode 9, capaz
When was the last time you felt, “Oh yeah. I’ve got this.” When you felt capable? (Turns out, we have a lot of feelings about this… check out the full episode below).
capaz: (adj) capable, able, clever
Related words: Preparado (prepared), apto (competent), inteligente (intelligent), competente (competent), poder (power)
Antonyms: incapaz (incapable), incapacitado (unable)
Related noun: la capacidad (capacity)
From the Latin “capāx”, capable, able
Learning and mastering anything is a marathon, not a sprint - take care of your mind like a runner takes care of their feet. Practice with intention, and do what feels good.
5:58: Revisit shoshin, or the beginner’s mind. What is in your “thicket of views and opinions”? Draw it if that feels good.
9:27: Instant gratification isn’t going to happen with learning; it’s a process.
18:41: A community helps us learn and grow in a lot of ways: get out of your own head with people you care about and trust.
22:25: For better conversations: deep breath in; deep breath out. Focus on the person in front of you - not on the verb churn in your head.
27:12: Somos fluidos, we are very fluid. We are not meant to stay in one place. Physically, mentally, emotionally. Living a rich life means moving a bit.
For reflection:
Capaz is a ser-only adjective. What other ser qualities do you have that will help you reach your goals? __________________________________________________.
Who do you call on to get you out of a mental rut? What support do you have for your goals?___________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
Harness your poder (both power and abilities). Where are you feeling the most empowered? __________________________________________________________________________.
Una PS has been a labor of love from the beginning. If you’d like to join our lil’ love fest via the Deseo program, click here to sign up! We all have our own wishes and desires when it comes to language, and with some resources and accountability, I can help make yours come true.
TRANSCRIPT BELOW:
Hola y bienvenidos, hello and welcome to Una Palabra Sola, where we get to learn Spanish one word at a time. I'm your host, Megan Miller, founder and teacher at Aprovechar Language Solutions. Empezamos and let's dive in. Hola hola otra vez. Hello and welcome back to Una Palabra Sola, a podcast where we get to learn Spanish one word a la vez, one word at a time. I'm your host, Megan Miller and I have a question for you: una pregunta.
0:41
When was the last time you thought you were capable of something? And how did that make you feel when you're like, Oh, I totally got this. Versus oh my god, I don't know what to do with my hands. When was the last time you kind of felt in control?
1:00
And that my dears is a question that is going to lead us to nuestra palabra, to our word, capaz. Or if you're in Spain, capaz, because we have the seseo or the lovely lisps. So capaz, it is an adjective and it means capable, able, and also it means clever. So por ejemplo, some sinónimos, some synonyms, are things like inteligente or competente, preparado, apto, those are all kind of synonyms for feeling kind of capable, feeling in control, feeling smart or clever. It's also used por ejemplo, me siento capaz, I feel capable, or soy capaz de, I am capable of, or ¿Quién será capaz? like who will be (será), your future ser tense. Who will be capable. You also have por ejemplo, me siento como estoy considerada capaz, I feel like I'm considered capable. So you have considerer, to be considered, capaz. Of course this is all from Latin capāx, which means capable, able, and like I said, some synonyms, they lean more toward like the intelligence like preparado, apto, inteligente, competente. Fun fact, the DELE exam, Diploma de Español como Lengua Extranjera exam from el Instituto Cervantes, they will tell you if you are apto or no apto. Nothing makes me feel dumber than looking at a no apto but so apto, it's a little salt in my wound, but es sinónimo, a synonym of capaz. Antonyms quite honestly, there are just two that I wanted to mention today. You have incapaz, just the lovely I-N, incapaz, or incapacitada, incapacitado, that's your adjective, right. So if you wanted another antonym to be an adjective, incapacitado, incapacitada, o también, incapaz.
Related nouns, la capacidad, that is your capability. So, of course, you have here this adjective, right, it needs a noun in order to define it, and that adjective is capaz. And then you have your related noun la capacidad, capability, and then for your verb, you have ser capaz. So, when we think of, at least when I think of feeling smart, capable, able of something, right, I think of almost being an expert, or some, algún tipo de conocimiento; some type of conocimiento, or knowledge, right and when I think about being or feeling incapaz, no apto, uncapable, or not smart. I feel a lot of anxiety. And I think that that is a wonderful tie in to today, which is all about this lovely adjective capaz, and the feelings that it evokes specifically around being a beginner. So a lot of times as adults we don't like being a beginner, we honor and look up to the gurus, right? We put them on a pedestal. Oh, she's an expert in her field. Oh, he knows so much. He has so much experience like, have you ever met a guru, and then, like, gushed at how humble they seem. So either they have a really good mindset, or they're really good at pretending. And because of our own biases and expectations, we don't see through it. But really, it is all about the mindset, a beginner's mind. So I wanted to shout out my lovely friend, Lauren, who wrote The Buddha and The Bard, which is a wonderful book and this specific area. So in her chapter titled, Troilus and Cressida and Beginner's Mind. So, we have here, "when we're new to the world -- having shed what Buddhist psychology calls ‘the thicket of views and opinions’ — we experience what Zen Buddhists call shoshin, beginner's mind. In his classic work Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind Zen master Shunryu Suzuki writes, ‘If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything; it is open to everything. In the beginner's mind, there are many possibilities. In the expert’s mind, there are few.'" [Check out Lauren’s book here]
So when we're new to the world, shedding the thicket of views and opinions, we experience shoshin. That means letting go of preconceptions, that means letting go of expectations, that means enjoying the actual process of learning as it is, right. It is a process. There's a start, there's a middle, depending on your view of learning, there could be an end. Some of us, I think, we're always learning. And, and within that always learning, there becomes this bias of thicket of views and opinions, right? So we have this bias of oh, we already know that. Oh, well. You know, that can't be possible because of this, this, and this. So we kind of self-select or self-edit a lot of times when learning. And this shoshin concept is very much of this constant loop of letting go of a lot of your opinions, preconceptions, misconceptions, expectations. The thoughts, the churning thoughts that happen when we are beginning something, right. Oh, I'm beginning this. I'm so excited. Oh, this isn't easy. Oh, I really need to do that. Oh, I just failed. Sometimes using the beginner's mindset, it can be a different journey. Oh, this is so exciting. Oh, this is difficult. Let me sit with it. Let me learn. Let me get curious about things. Oh, I see that I have this expectation that I need to learn a language in six months or I have this conception, preconception that Spanish should be easy. Why is Spanish not easy? It's easy for them; why is it not easy for me? Oh, oh, wait, those those are thoughts. Those are thoughts and feelings, they are not actually fact. Deep breath, let me try this again. I know that I will get it. This is a process, I need to lean into this process. So two very different venues, paths, caminos, if you will, around learning- specifically learning Spanish. And so much of what we learn, how we learn, it's all considered to be mental. Right? It's a mental marathon. It's not a sprint. And a lot of times we want this instant gratification. The instant gratification is not going to happen with learning, it's a process.
9:35
So with this, it's ironic to me that capaz is only used with ser. So when I teach ser versus estar, both mean to be. Ser is your permanent characteristics. It's something that, you know, used too often can can denote a bit of a fixed mindset, versus estar, is your temporary state of being It's a mental feeling, it's a mental emotion, it's, you know, kind of defining who you are in that moment versus ser is who you are throughout your life. So it could be ironic, I did some digging, because I have to, I want to know. And with capaz specifically, it is a ser-only adjective. This means that this is an ability or characteristic that someone is capable of doing. Someone is capable of doing something alguien es capaz de hacer algo. It's not necessarily with being or growing a different person or part of your personality. And this is where it gets kind of nitty-gritty grammar, right, someone is capable of doing something that's a characteristic 'alguien es capaz' versus 'alguien tiene la capacidad de', 'someone has the capability to' versus 'someone is capable'. So even though they are related, capaz is own only used with ser. So the other bit that I wanted to bring out is the word and verb poder. So poder como verbo, as a verb, means to be able to. Pero poder como sustantivo, as a noun means power. So, you can be able, you can feel able, you can ser capaz de hacer algo, which also means that tienes el poder, that you have the power to do that. And this feeling of feeling capable or able is a very empowering feeling, right, it gives us a lot of power. It gives us the sensation of power, gives us the feeling, perhaps of feeling in control of a certain situation or thing. And because we use ser with it, we will automatically assume yes, this is fixed, it is my permanent characteristic. So when you feel capable or able for something, keep in mind, que tienes el poder, you have the power. Que tú puedes, that you can do something and poder is such a powerful verb. It's one of the first verbs that we learn as Spanish speakers. It's one of the first verbs I ever teach. Because we need to know that we can or cannot do something.
And that is directly related to our mindset. If I'm sitting here and going, Oh, I can't learn Spanish, I can't learn Spanish, Spanish isn't for me. Negative, negative negative, I'm going to create my own negative churn about learning a language, and that will in turn lead to other negative emotions, right? So we have negative emotions like dread, guilt, shame, any of those big emotions, those big heavy emotions, that we just don't want to carry around day to day, but we do. Because our ideal life is over here. And our current life is here. And we just don't know how to cross that puente, how to cross that bridge. But the verb poder and the noun poder shows that. Yes, our life over here, and our life here might be two different versions of the same us, right? I think we all have kind of an ideal situation of how we'd like to live or what we want our life to look like. And when we feel capable, when we shoshin and let go of a lot of the preconceptions, expectations, we lean into the process, not only of learning, but the process of living. Then, somos capaces, then we are capable. And note there, I said capaces. Why? Because somos, that's plural. So capaz como adjetivo, recuerda; remember. Capaz is an adjective, it will change not genders in this case, because capaz is capaz is capaz, but it will change plural or singular. So alguien es capaz, alguien puede ser capaz, someone can be capable or por ejemplo, las personas son capaces, the people are capable. Los empleados son capaces, the employees are capable, they are able, they have the capacity to do whatever it is that we want them to do. So, just keep in mind that in the plural capaces and singular capaz. And the seseo if you are in Spain, it will go either way right capaz versus capaces. So, it is ironic to me that it is only used with ser, but capaz is a ser-only adjective. And talking and feeling, I think, reflecting, leaning into those verbs or those words rather.
So we have poder como sustantivo, poder como verbo, but it really is kind of feeling that identity shift, right? So when we feel our identities shift, change, by happenstance becomes easier, feeling capable leads to that. So for example, I am fluent, that is a statement, that is three words, whether it is true or not, completely up to you. I am fluent. Saying those three words makes me want to practice Spanish every day. That is a goal. That is a feeling. And that, honestly, by now is part of my identity. So making that change part of my identity, Spanish is a part of me. Like, of course, I want to practice every day, why wouldn't I, it's a part of me. It's like giving my mom a hug when I see her. Like, I don't even think about it, I just want to do it, because it makes me feel good. And when we feel our identities shift and change, that change becomes a lot easier. And that's where feeling capaz, really feeling esta capacidad, really leads into that. So, for example, he is someone who practices every day, he is someone who gets it right when he tries, he is in control of his vocabulary. She is in control of the conversation. So it's not only I, right, and really leaning into the feelings that you have. It's also how we perceive the identities of those around us.
And sometimes it can be hard to be a Spanish speaker without having a Spanish speaking community around you. Because nobody else gets it. You're literally speaking a different language. And sometimes having that sense of comunidad really, really helps some of that identity shift and change. And it helps throughout the process. Because every learning process, there is three steps forward, two steps back four steps forward, five steps sideways. You're doing the Hokey Pokey blindfolded in another language. That's the process of learning. And it's one thing to say, yes, shoshin, beginner's mind, let go of the preconceptions. Deep breath in, deep breath out, enjoy where you are right now. And it's another thing when you can't fucking remember the pretérito of the verb decir and you're like, fuck, like, I hate this. I'm so stupid, whatever. Whatever thoughts start churning in your head. That's where you have el poder de una comunidad, that's where you have the power of a community to come around you and be like, no preterite sucks. Decir is one of those irregular verbs. Here's how you do it. And here's how I practiced. And here's how she practiced. And here's how he practices. And let's all get together and have, you know, some past tense conversation so that we can, we can practice and make this part of our daily life.
19:10
It's one thing to say, yes, learning is a process, and there will be setbacks and there will be wins, and you need to celebrate the wins and work through the setbacks. It's another thing when it's 8pm on a Tuesday night, and you just want to go to bed, but you have you know, a worksheet and you have negative emotions, like guilt and shame, and you have your own expectations around it. So when we're learning something, anything, having that beginner's mindset is really key. Especially as we move through this kind of comprehension bell curve, right. At the beginning, we're so excited. We don't really know what we don't know. And then as we get further into it, we're like, oh, shit there, there are a lot of verb tenses. And we know more about what we don't know. But in our mind, sometimes it doesn't seem like we're learning fast enough, like we can't catch it all.
And then as we get further along, we're like, oh, maybe we'll never know everything. And it is that kind of comprehension bell curve. And it's the reason why the smartest people have the biggest amounts of impostor syndrome. Because they know that there's a whole big world out there. But they don't know every detail. Cada detallito, every little detail. It's just different, feels different. The days feel different. For example, I feel very dumb in Spanish if I haven't had a good night's sleep, if I haven't had a nutritious breakfast, right? If I haven't had at least a sip of coffee, I'm like, oh, what's this verb again? And we can't let those feelings hijack us. Going back to shoshin as well, it's not just about us. Like in our learning journey, we can be really selfish with our attention. Like, you know that feeling of guiding the conversation. And when you can do it in another language, it's like a definite notch in your control capaz belt, right? But with shoshin, letting go of those preconceptions, those misconceptions, those expectations, and really shedding kind of key parts of our identity, or at least identifying the feelings that we're feeling. It's not just about us.
So we can be incredibly selfish with our attention of like, oh, I'm in this conversation, I'm in this intercambio. I didn't do that verb, right. I forgot my genders. Oh, god, Oh, no. One thing that I always like to tell people is to loosen up and focus on the other person. So really let go of the you that you think that you are, or the you that you want to be. And instead, breathe in, breathe out and connect with someone. Because that's what language is all about, man. I mean, feeling or being capaz does not mean that that is an end all, be all. Someone can have and feel and be capaz in, for example, a big area of expertise, right? You go to school for seven years, and you become a doctor, and it's years and years or decades and decades of your life. You're going to know your knee bone from the elbow bone. And you're going to feel very secure in that. I would hope. That means that you're an expert. It also means that there are things about the body that we're just finding out.
Learning is a process, living is a process. So yes, you can be an expert in that. And you can also have a beginner's mind with that same topic. Or a lot of people, for example, they will go and go to college, university or go into trades, and do their job for years or decades or whatever, have a bunch of experience, and then get bored and want to try something new. The beginner's mindset is incredibly helpful for that. Because that person has decided for themself. Yeah, I know, a lot of these things. And yeah, there's a lot that I don't know. But you know, it's time for a change. So, I'm going to start from scratch. Starting from scratch can be the most empowering thing and it's also the most terrifying thing. And I think we need that we need that combination. Because that tying back to el episodio pasado, the past episode Crecer, that allows you to grow, that allows you to change.
Humans are not machines, we aren't just sitting around waiting for an update. We have to go and find our own updates, whatever those are, and the beginner's mindset specifically around growth, having a growth mindset; I can do hard things. I am capable, this exam or this new hard thing. If I fail, it's okay. It doesn't define me. That is really what's needed as we go and, and continue on our learning and living journeys. Alright, so, les dejo con una frase. I'm gonna leave you with a sentence here. Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live it's whole life believing that it is stupid. This quote is often attributed to Einstein. It's actually misattributed to Einstein, it still very much rings very, very true. All right. Capaz is an adjective. And the only thing that every adjective needs is a noun. So anyone and anything can be capable. A lot of times we talk about capabilities or abilities, or poder, to be able to, or even power, with us, ourselves, personal development, but it can also mean like your computer, it can also mean your phone, it can also mean a system. It can mean for example, my dog. My dog is not real capable of catching a ball. He tries very hard, he is- going back to our quote, he is a genius in a lot of ways. And he kind of is a fish sometimes. And as fishes, fish, no fishes, como peces, we need to find bodies of water, that help us swim that help us feel good. Right? Whatever that medio ambiente, whatever that environment is, with you or around you. It needs to be able to nurture your mindset, right, it needs to be able to support you as you go through the process of learning, specifically learning Spanish or learning anything as well as kind of growing and living right. Somos fluidos, we are very fluid. We are not meant to stay in one place. Physically, mentally, emotionally. Living a rich life means moving a bit. And that can be moving mentally, emotionally, physically, whatever you need in order to live a life that you're proud of, que tienes orgullo. So, as fishes, especially if you are a fish that wants to learn Spanish or wants to work on Spanish and you are looking for un medio ambiente, you're looking for this environment that is conducive to that check out my monthly Spanish membership program, llamada Deseo at DeseoSpanishProgram.info. Y también, to check out the show notes, transcript, request a word or be on the show. Check out Aprovechar.me. So until next time, un abrazo fuerte.