Spanish - Abilities

Lesson 70 of 159

Learner practicing Spanish ability phrases, like 'Puedo' and 'No puedo', to talk about skills.

Goal: Talk about what you can and can’t do

Free Spanish lessons with guided practice, audio, and speaking support.

Ready to say what you can (and can’t) do? In this short lesson you’ll learn useful Spanish frames to describe skills, limits, and how easy or hard things feel. Have fun — even heroes sometimes say “No puedo”.

Level A2: This lesson focuses on everyday phrases to say what you can do, what you don’t know how to do, and how easy or difficult tasks are for you. You’ll practice frames like “Puedo ___.”, “No puedo ___.”, “Se me da bien ___.” and questions such as “¿Puedes ___ sin ayuda?”. CEFR-aligned, with listening, practice, and speaking prompts so you can use these phrases right away.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Use simple A2 phrases to state ability and lack of ability (Puedo ___ / No puedo ___).
  • Ask and answer whether someone can do something independently (¿Puedes ___ sin ayuda?).
  • Describe strengths and difficulties (Se me da bien ___ / Se me hace difícil ___).
  • Practice speaking these short frames aloud to build confidence.
Two friends asking about each other's skills and independence, practicing A2 ability phrases in Spanish.

Ready? Let's go!

When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

Puedo ___.

I can ___.

Meaning: I can ___.

When to use: Use this short frame to say you are able to do something (follow with an infinitive: Puedo nadar).

Tip: Don’t confuse 'puedo' with 'sé'—use 'puedo' for ability in the moment or permission; use 'sé' for learned skills.

Puedo correr todos los días.
I can run every day.
Puedo ayudar con la cena.
I can help with dinner.

No puedo ___.

I can't ___.

Meaning: I can’t ___.

When to use: Say this when you lack the ability or it’s not possible for you to do something (follow with an infinitive).

No puedo subir las escaleras ahora.
I can’t climb the stairs now.
No puedo tocar ese instrumento.
I can’t play that instrument.

Puedo ___ un poco.

I can ___ a little.

Meaning: I can ___ a little.

When to use: Use this to say you have limited ability: Puedo hablar un poco.

Puedo hablar español un poco.
I can speak Spanish a little.
Puedo cocinar un poco, pero no mucho.
I can cook a little, but not much.

Sé ___

I know how to ___.

Meaning: I know how to ___.

When to use: Use 'Sé ___' for skills you learned (follow with an infinitive: Sé nadar, Sé conducir).

Tip: Beginners sometimes say 'puedo' instead of 'sé' for learned skills—use 'sé' for something you've learned to do.

Sé cocinar paella.
I know how to cook paella.
Sé tocar la guitarra básica.
I know how to play basic guitar.

No sé ___.

I don't know how to ___.

Meaning: I don’t know how to ___.

When to use: Use 'No sé ___' to say you haven’t learned a skill (follow with an infinitive).

No sé bailar salsa.
I don’t know how to dance salsa.
No sé coser ropa.
I don’t know how to sew clothes.

Se me da bien ___.

I'm good at ___.

Meaning: I’m good at ___.

When to use: Say 'Se me da bien ___' to describe a strength or something that comes naturally.

Se me da bien dibujar retratos.
I’m good at drawing portraits.
Se me da bien aprender idiomas.
I’m good at learning languages.

No se me da bien ___.

I'm not good at ___.

Meaning: I’m not good at ___.

When to use: Use 'No se me da bien ___' to talk about a weak skill or something you struggle with.

No se me da bien la cocina francesa.
I’m not good at French cooking.
No se me da bien recordar nombres.
I’m not good at remembering names.

Se me hace fácil ___.

It's easy for me to ___.

Meaning: It’s easy for me to ___.

When to use: Use 'Se me hace fácil ___' to say a task feels easy to you (follow with an infinitive or noun phrase).

Se me hace fácil aprender nuevas palabras.
It’s easy for me to learn new words.
Se me hace fácil levantarme temprano.
It’s easy for me to get up early.

Se me hace difícil ___.

It's hard for me to ___.

Meaning: It’s hard for me to ___.

When to use: Use 'Se me hace difícil ___' to describe tasks that are challenging for you.

Se me hace difícil concentrarme por la noche.
It’s hard for me to concentrate at night.
Se me hace difícil levantar objetos pesados.
It’s hard for me to lift heavy objects.

¿Sabes ___?

Do you know how to ___?

Meaning: Do you know how to ___?

When to use: Ask this question to check if someone has a skill (use an infinitive: ¿Sabes nadar?).

¿Sabes tocar el piano?
Do you know how to play the piano?
¿Sabes reparar una bicicleta?
Do you know how to fix a bicycle?

¿Puedes ___ sin ayuda?

Can you ___ by yourself?

Meaning: Can you ___ by yourself?

When to use: Use '¿Puedes ___ sin ayuda?' to ask whether someone can do something independently.

¿Puedes armar esto sin ayuda?
Can you assemble this without help?
¿Puedes cocinar sin ayuda?
Can you cook by yourself?

Puedo hacerlo sin ayuda.

I can do it by myself.

Meaning: I can do it by myself.

When to use: Say 'Puedo hacerlo sin ayuda.' to indicate you don’t need assistance.

Gracias, no te preocupes. Puedo hacerlo sin ayuda.
Thanks, don’t worry. I can do it by myself.
Si quieres, lo intento: puedo hacerlo sin ayuda.
If you want, I’ll try: I can do it on my own.

No puedo hacerlo sin ayuda.

I can't do it without help.

Meaning: I can't do it without help.

When to use: Use 'No puedo hacerlo sin ayuda.' when you need assistance to complete a task.

No puedo hacerlo sin ayuda; es muy pesado.
I can’t do it without help; it’s very heavy.
No puedo hacerlo sin ayuda porque no sé cómo empezar.
I can’t do it without help because I don’t know how to start.

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Anna asks David about his skills and whether he needs help with a task.

Anna and David speaking about what they can do and whether they need help, using '¿Puedes ___ sin ayuda?' and 'Puedo hacerlo sin ayuda.'

What are Anna and David mainly talking about?

Portrait of Anna in a Spanish lesson dialogue

Anna

¿Sabes reparar la computadora?

Do you know how to fix the computer?

Portrait of David in a Spanish lesson dialogue

David

Sé algunas cosas, pero no sé todo.

I know some things, but I don't know everything.

Portrait of Anna in a Spanish lesson dialogue

Anna

¿Puedes hacerlo sin ayuda?

Can you do it by yourself?

Portrait of David in a Spanish lesson dialogue

David

No puedo hacerlo sin ayuda esta vez.

I can't do it without help this time.

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

Which Spanish sentence means 'I know how to cook paella'?

Which phrase asks if someone can do something independently?

Which sentence means 'It's hard for me to concentrate at night'?

Which Spanish sentence means 'I can speak Spanish a little'?

I can lift the box by myself; I can do it by myself.

I can lift the box by myself; ___.

I really try, but drawing portraits is not something I'm good at.

I really try, but drawing portraits ___ for me.

Do you know how to play chess, or do you not?

Do you know how to play chess, or ___?

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice

Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).

Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.

Say this phrase out loud:

Puedo ___.

I can ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

No puedo ___.

I can’t ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

Puedo ___ un poco.

I can ___ a little.

Say this phrase out loud:

Sé ___

I know how to ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

No sé ___.

I don’t know how to ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

Se me da bien ___.

I’m good at ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

No se me da bien ___.

I’m not good at ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

Se me hace fácil ___.

It’s easy for me to ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

Se me hace difícil ___.

It’s hard for me to ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Sabes ___?

Do you know how to ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Puedes ___ sin ayuda?

Can you ___ by yourself?

Say this phrase out loud:

Puedo hacerlo sin ayuda.

I can do it by myself.

Say this phrase out loud:

No puedo hacerlo sin ayuda.

I can't do it without help.