capable / powerful
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capable
Able to deliver a high level of performance; productive, efficient, and resilient. Often refers to a person's physical or mental ability.
Nach einer guten Nacht Schlaf fühle ich mich wieder voll leistungsfähig.
After a good night's sleep, I feel fully capable again.
powerful
Having high capacity or performance; strong and efficient in operation. Refers to machines, computers, systems, or companies.
Für Videobearbeitung braucht man einen besonders leistungsfähigen Computer.
For video editing, you need a particularly powerful computer.
The word consists of 'Leistung' (performance) and the ending '-fähig' (-capable), which means 'capable of' or 'able to.' So 'leistungsfähig' literally means 'capable of good performance.'
Ein Sportler muss körperlich sehr leistungsfähig sein.
An athlete has to be very physically capable.
The adjective belongs to the word family around the verb 'leisten' (to accomplish, to provide) and the noun 'die Leistung' (the achievement, the performance).
Um diese Leistung zu erbringen, muss man sehr leistungsfähig sein.
To deliver this performance, you have to be very capable.
You can tell whether a person or a machine is meant from the noun. If it refers to people or their abilities (e.g., the brain), the first meaning is intended. With devices (e.g., computers), it is the second.
Ein leistungsfähiger Mitarbeiter ist für jedes Team ein Gewinn.
A capable employee is an asset to any team.
To emphasize the high level of ability, the adjective is often intensified with adverbs such as 'sehr' (very), 'besonders' (particularly), 'hoch' (highly), or 'voll' (fully).
Das neue System ist hoch leistungsfähig und kann riesige Datenmengen verarbeiten.
The new system is highly powerful and can process huge amounts of data.
resilient / load-bearing / reliable
Leistungsfähig and belastbar can both describe a person who performs well under a heavy workload. Leistungsfähig mainly emphasizes how much performance someone can deliver; belastbar highlights that the person can withstand pressure, stress, or difficult demands. Leistungsfähig is the better choice when focusing on ability and performance, while belastbar is more suitable for enduring pressure.
Auch nach acht Stunden Arbeit ist die leistungsfähige Mitarbeiterin noch sehr produktiv.
Even after eight hours of work, the capable employee is still highly productive.
Auch nach acht Stunden Arbeit ist die belastbare Mitarbeiterin unter dem Zeitdruck noch ruhig.
Even after eight hours of work, the resilient employee remains calm under the time pressure.
