ável

Ável is a Portuguese adjective and a productive derivational suffix used to form adjectives that express capacity, possibility, or suitability. The standalone adjective ável means “able” or “capable,” and the suffix is attached to verb stems to produce words that describe something that can be done, is worthy of, or is likely to have a given property. The -ável suffix comes from Latin -abilis and is cognate with the English suffix -able, appearing across Romance languages in similar forms.

In practice, -ável attaches to many verb bases to yield commonly used adjectives. Examples include amável (kind, amiable), aceitável (acceptable), admirável (admirable), adorável (adorable), negociável (negotiable), and louvável (laudable). The meaning of the derived adjectives can range from practical capability (a movable object is “movível” in other variants; however, -ável forms more often indicate a qualitative or evaluative property) to moral or evaluative judgments (adorável, admirável). Prefixes or negations can modify these words without changing the suffix itself (inaceitável, inestimável, inamável, etc.).

Usage notes: -ável is productive in both European and Brazilian Portuguese and appears in formal and informal contexts, especially in written language and established compound adjectives. While many -ável forms are transparent from their verb roots, the exact nuance of each word depends on usage and lexical history. The suffix is distinct from -ível in its typical phonology and certain word-formation patterns, though both serve a similar role in creating adjectives that express possibility or quality. Related suffixes include -ável and -ível, which together expand the repertoire of descriptive terms in Portuguese.