N4 · Verbs
The potential form
can and be able to
One change for "can": the e-row plus る for a う-verb, られる for a る-verb, and できる for する.
Where English adds "can", Japanese changes the verb. A う-verb moves its last kana to the e row and adds る: 書く → 書ける, 話す → 話せる, 買う → 買える. A る-verb replaces る with られる: 食べられる, 見られる. 来る becomes 来られる, and する is replaced by a different verb altogether, できる.
The result is a new る-verb and conjugates like one: 書けます, 書けない, 書けた. The thing you can do is usually marked with が rather than を — 日本語が話せます — because the sentence describes what is possible rather than an action aimed at an object. を is also heard, especially in longer sentences, but が is the safe choice.
In speech, many people shorten the る-verb potential by dropping ら: 食べれる, 見れる, 来れる. It is very common and still counts as casual; in writing and careful speech, use the full られる. A second way to say "can" is the dictionary form plus ことができる — 泳ぐことができる — which is longer and sounds more formal.
Two things go wrong for English speakers. They build "can" out of a dictionary form followed by できる, which is not Japanese. And they use the potential for seeing and hearing, where Japanese has separate verbs: 見える "be visible" and 聞こえる "be audible" describe what reaches you, while 見られる and 聞ける mean you have the chance to see or hear something.
The form
stem (regular) stem (irregular) ending
| can write | 書ける |
| can speak | 話せる |
| can buy | 買える |
| can go home | 帰れる |
| can eat | 食べられる |
| can see | 見られる |
| can do: a different verb | できる |
| can come | 来られる |
The rules one by one
A う-verb moves its last kana to the e row and adds る.
私は漢字が少し読めます。I can read a few kanji.
A る-verb replaces る with られる.
納豆は食べられますか。Can you eat natto?
する becomes できる, and 来る becomes 来られる.
明日の会議に来られますか。Can you come to the meeting tomorrow?
The potential is itself a る-verb and takes ます, ない and た like any other.
昨日はよく眠れませんでした。I could not sleep well last night.
What can be done is usually marked with が.
弟はピアノが弾けます。My younger brother can play the piano.
A closer look
Two verbs for seeing and hearing
見える and 聞こえる describe what reaches your senses whether you want it or not: 窓から山が見える "the mountains are visible from the window", 隣の部屋の音が聞こえる "I can hear the noise from next door". Nobody is doing anything; the mountains are simply there to be seen.
見られる and 聞ける are about opportunity: この映画はネットで見られる "you can watch this film online", この番組はラジオでも聞ける "you can also listen to this programme on the radio". English "can see" covers both; Japanese asks whether the seeing is happening to you or has been made possible for you.
Exceptions and special cases (2)
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the verb is 分かる
it has no potential form: 分かる already means "can understand".
日本語が少し分かります。I understand a little Japanese.
The verb describes something that happens to you, not something you do, so there is nothing to be able to do. The same is true of 見える, 聞こえる and ある.
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the verb is する
the potential is the separate verb できる, and a noun with する becomes the noun with できる.
ここで予約できますか。Can I book here?
A regular potential of する never took hold in the spoken language, and できる fills the gap.
How to spot it
- 〜える
- 〜られる
- 〜れる
- できる
- ことができる
- 〜が〜えます
Example sentences
英語と中国語が話せます。I can speak English and Chinese.
ここから駅まで歩いて行けますか。Can you walk to the station from here?
この店ではカードが使えません。You cannot pay by card in this shop.
辛い物は食べられない。I can't eat spicy food.
妹はもう自転車に乗れます。My younger sister can already ride a bicycle.
日曜日なら来られます。I can come if it is on a Sunday.
8 more example sentences
漢字がまだあまり書けません。I still cannot write many kanji.
この水は飲めますか。Is this water safe to drink?
仕事が忙しくて、休みが取れない。Work is so busy that I cannot take any time off.
朝6時に起きられますか。Can you get up at six in the morning?
家から海が見えます。You can see the sea from the house.
明日は用事があって、行けません。I have something on tomorrow, so I cannot go.
娘はもう一人で服が着られます。My daughter can already dress herself.
ここでは写真が撮れません。You cannot take photos here.
Worth knowing (1)
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The shortened る-verb potential
In everyday speech 食べられる is very often 食べれる, and 見られる is 見れる. The short form has a practical advantage — られる is also the passive, and the short form can only mean "can" — but it is still corrected in essays and avoided in formal speech. Recognise it, and use the full form when in doubt.
明日、来れる？Can you come tomorrow?
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
"Can" is a separate word in English, and できる looks like its translation, so learners put it after the verb. できる stands on its own with a noun — テニスができます — or after こと: 泳ぐことができます. With a verb, the usual way is the potential form itself.
The e-row plus る, or られる, or できる — and the result is a new る-verb.
Your turn
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