Caber is a unique and essential Spanish verb meaning "to fit." It is used to express the idea that something can physically or metaphorically fit into a space, container, or situation.
- Meaning: To fit (into a space, container, situation)
- Usage: Describes capacity or suitability
- Type: Irregular, and mostly used in the third person and subjunctive forms for predictive or hypothetical contexts
'caber' means 'to fit.'
'caber' is an irregular verb.
Origin and Cognates
Caber derives from the Latin capere, meaning "to take" or "to seize," reflecting an older sense of things being "taken in" or "contained."
- Latin root: capere
- Related idea: Taking in, containing
- Connection: Core meaning of fitting/holding something within
'caber' comes from the Latin '*capere*.'
Cognates:
- capacità (Italian: capacity)
- capacity (English)
- capacidad (Spanish: capacity)
Cognates include 'capacity,' 'capacidad,' and 'capacità.'
'Capacity' is an English cognate of 'caber.'
Usage and Examples
Caber is mainly used to express whether something fits (physically or abstractly). It is commonly used in the third person, since the subject is usually the thing that fits.
- Primary usage: Expressing what fits (or doesn’t)
- Typical subjects: Objects, ideas, amounts
- Common forms: Present, preterite, future, conditional, subjunctive
Present Tense (Indicative)
| Subject | Form | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | Quepo | No quepo en esa habitación. | I don’t fit in that room. |
| Tú | Cabes | ¿Cabes en el coche? | Do you fit in the car? |
| Él/Ella/Ud. | Cabe | Solo cabe una persona más. | Only one more person fits. |
| Nosotros | Cabemos | No cabemos todos ahí. | We don’t all fit there. |
| Vosotros | Cabéis | Aquí cabéis bien. | You all fit well here. |
| Ellos/Ellas | Caben | Todos caben en el autobús. | Everyone fits on the bus. |
Future Tense
| Subject | Form | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | Cabré | No cabré en ese traje. | I won’t fit in that suit. |
| Tú | Cabrás | Cabrá todo en la maleta. | Everything will fit in the suitcase. |
| Él/Ella/Ud. | Cabrá | El secreto no cabrá aquí. | The secret won’t fit here. |
| Nosotros | Cabremos | Cabremos en el ascensor. | We will fit in the elevator. |
| Vosotros | Cabréis | Cabráis sin problema. | You all will fit without problem. |
| Ellos/Ellas | Cabrán | Los documentos cabrán ahí. | The documents will fit there. |
Conditional Tense
| Subject | Form | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | Cabría | Cabría más gente si hubiera espacio. | More people would fit if there was space. |
| Tú | Cabrías | ¿Cabrías tú en esa silla? | Would you fit in that chair? |
| Él/Ella/Ud. | Cabría | La explicación cabría mejor en otro momento. | The explanation would fit better another time. |
| Nosotros | Cabríamos | Cabríamos todos en ese coche. | We would all fit in that car. |
| Vosotros | Cabríais | Cabríais si se ajusta el cinturón. | You’d fit if you adjust the belt. |
| Ellos/Ellas | Cabrían | Ellos cabrían en la casa vieja. | They would fit in the old house. |
Subjunctive (Present)
| Subject | Form | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo/Tú/Él... | Que quepa... | Que quepa todo en la caja. | Let everything fit in the box. |
| Nosotros | Que quepamos | Que quepamos todos en la foto. | That we all fit in the photo. |
| Vosotros | Que quepáis | Que quepáis sin problemas. | That you all fit without problems. |
| Ellos/Ellas | Que quepan | Que quepan más cambios en el plan. | That more changes fit in the plan. |
'caber' is used when expressing whether something fits.
Correct uses are about fitting: 'No cabemos todos en el coche', '¿Cabrá suficiente comida?', 'Que quepamos en la reunión'.
Conclusion
Caber is a vital verb for talking about things fitting in spaces or situations, reflecting an important everyday concept in Spanish.
- Meaning: To fit
- Origin: Latin capere ("to take in")
- Key point: Used mainly for capacity and is irregular in most forms
'caber' means 'to fit.'
The root is '*capere*.'
You use 'caber' when discussing if things fit physically or metaphorically.