gain ability

[/ɡeɪn əˈbɪləti/]
verb phrase
adquirir capacidade
1. to acquire or develop a new skill, competence, or power that one did not previously possess
After months of training, she gained the ability to speak fluent Spanish.
Após meses de treinamento, ela adquiriu a capacidade de falar espanhol fluente.
2. to obtain the means or resources necessary to do something previously impossible
The team gained the ability to compete at a higher level after recruiting new players.
O time adquiriu a capacidade de competir em um nível mais alto após recrutar novos jogadores.
3. to become capable of performing an action or function
With the new software update, users gained the ability to customize their profiles.
Com a atualização de software, os usuários adquiriram a capacidade de personalizar seus perfis.
In Brazilian Portuguese-speaking contexts, 'adquirir capacidade' is the formal and most widely accepted term. In American English, 'gain ability' is commonly used in educational, professional, and gaming contexts. In Portugal, the phrasing tends to be slightly more formal with 'ganhar a capacidade de' being preferred in some regions.
NYC Slang
level up
Synonyms / Sinônimos
acquire abilitydevelop skillobtain competenceachieve capabilitymaster a skill
Antonyms / Antônimos
lose abilitylose skilllose competencebecome incapable

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
adquirir capacidade
most common and neutral expression
Rio de Janeiro
ganhar capacidade
more literal translation, commonly used in colloquial speech
São Paulo
desenvolver habilidade
emphasizes skill development through practice
Portugal
ganhar a capacidade de
similar to Brazilian Portuguese but with slight grammatical preferences

Related Words

skill developmentcapabilitycompetenceproficiencyexpertisetraininglearning

Related Idioms & Phrases

unlock a new skill
find one's feet
come into one's own
grow wings
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