caber [keɪbəʳ]
caber
intransitive verb
1
to fit
(entrar, pasar)
(en in o into)
- caber por -> to go through
- caben cinco personas -> there is room for five people
- no cabía ni un alfiler -> the place was packed out
- no me cabe en el dedo -> it won't fit (on) my finger
- no quiero postre, no me cabe nada más -> I don't want a dessert, I couldn't eat another thing, I've no room left for a dessert
2
(Mat)
- nueve entre tres caben a tres -> three into nine goes three (times)
- tres entre cinco no caben -> five into three won't go
3
to be possible
(ser posible)
- cabe la posibilidad de que no pueda venir -> (it is possible that) he might not come
- cabe destacar que… -> it's worth pointing out that…
- cabe preguntarse si… -> one might ask whether…
4
(corresponder)
- caber a alguien -> to be somebody's duty o honor, to fall to somebody
5
(expresiones)
- dentro de lo que cabe -> up to a point, to some extent (en cierto modo)
- no caber en sí de alegría -> to be beside oneself with joy
Copyright © 2006 Chambers Harrap Publishers Limited
caber [cah-berr’]
verb neuter
1
To be able or capable to contain, or to be contained; to fit. (n)
2
To have room, place, or right of admission. (n)
- No cabe el libro -> the book won’t go in
- Caben 3 más -> there’s room for three more
- En este depósito caben 20 litros -> this tank holds 20 litres
- Eso no cabe por esta puerta -> that won’t go through this door
3
To be entitled to a thing. (n)
4
To fall to one’s share. (n)
- No caber de gozo, to be overjoyed. No caber de pies -> to have no room to stand
- No caber en el mundo, to be elated with excessive pride, to be puffed up with vanity. No caber en sí -> to be full of one’s own merits; to be very uneasy
- Todo cabe -> it is all possible; it may well be so
- No cabe más -> nothing more to be desired: applied to something that has arrived at its ultimate point
- No cabe en él hacerlo, it is not in him to do it. Todo cabe en ese chico -> that lad is capable of any mischief
article & verb transitive
5
To contain, to comprise, to include.
caber
verbo:intransitivo
1 (haber espacio para) to fit;en into
tu guitarra no cabe en mi armario your guitar won't fit in my cupboard
en este baúl no cabe it won't fit in go into this trunk;o there's no room for it in this trunk
en mi coche caben dos maletas más there's room for two more suitcases in my car; ¿cabe alguien más? is there room for anyone else?; ¿cabemos todos? is there room for us all?; no cabe nadie más there's no room for anyone else; en este baúl ya no cabe más there's no more room (for anything) in this trunk
¡no me cabe en la cabeza! I can't understand it!
no caber en sí (estar feliz) to be beside o.s.; (ser engreído) to be big-headed; (familiar) to be full of o.s.
no cabe en sí de contento gozoo he's beside himself with joy; he's over the moon
2 (tener cabida)
en la bandeja de papel caben 100 hojas the paper tray will hold 100 sheets; en este depósito caben 20 litros this tank holds 20 litres; un sofá donde caben dos a two-seater sofa
5 [+ser posible] [+explicación] to be possible
solo caben dos explicaciones there are only two possible explanations; la única explicación que cabe es que ... the only possible explanation is that ...; todo cabe en ese chico that boy is capable of anything; nothing would surprise me from that boy; no cabe en él hacerlo he doesn't have it in him to do it; ya no caben más lamentaciones it's no use complaining; no cabe perdón it's inexcusable
cabe imaginar distintas posibilidades different possibilities can be imagined; la persona más generosa que cabe imaginar the most generous person you could imagine; the most generous person imaginable; cabe intentar otro sistema it would be worth trying another system; cabe preguntar si ... one might could ask whether ...;o
dentro de lo que cabedentro under the circumstances
se trata al animal lo mejor posible dentro de lo que cabe the animal is treated as well as possible under the circumstances; nos llevamos bastante bien, dentro de lo que cabe we get on quite well, under the circumstances considering;o
no cabe duda de que ...duda there is can be no doubt that ...;o
no cabe más quemás
no cabe más que esperar a ver lo que pasa we can only wait all we can do is wait the only thing for it is to wait and see what happens;oo no cabe más que obedecer there's no option but to obey
cabe la posibilidad de que ...posibilidad
¿no cabe la posibilidad de que usted haya sido utilizada? is it not possible that you might have been used?
cabe la posibilidad que en unos días nos comuniquen algo (there is a chance that) we may hear from them in a few days; el flash no resulta aconsejable, puesto que cabe la posibilidad de asustar a los animales it's best not to use a flash as it is liable to frighten the animals
si cabesi
a mí me parece que es aún mejor, si cabe I think it's even better, if that's possible; ahora está más amable, si cabe she's even friendlier now; mejoraremos, si cabe, el servicio posventa we will improve our after-sales service, wherever possible
6 (corresponder)
me cabe el honor/la satisfacción de presentarles (a) ... I have the honour/it gives me great pleasure to introduce ...; me cupo el privilegio de ... I had the privilege of ...; me cupo la responsabilidad de dirigir el país the responsibility of running the country fell to me
le cupieron 120 dólares his share was 120 dollars; he got 120 dollars (as his share)
Collins Complete Spanish Electronic Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
Verb Conjugation for "caber"
| Presente | Pretérito | Imperfect | Futuro | Subjuntivo | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | quepo | cupe | cabía | cabré | quepa |
| Tú | cabes | cupiste | cabías | cabrás | quepas |
| Ella/Él/Usted | cabe | cupo | cabía | cabrá | quepa |
| Nosotros | cabemos | cupimos | cabíamos | cabremos | quepamos |
| Vosotros | cabéis | cupisteis | cabíais | cabréis | quepáis |
| Ellos/Ustedes | caben | cupieron | cabían | cabrán | quepan |
