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Potential Form: Can / Able To

The potential form expresses ability or possibility — whether someone can do something. The object is typically marked with が instead of を in modern Japanese.

Formation

Group 1 (u-verbs)

書く → 書ける

Change u-ending to e + る (e.g. 書く→書け+る)

Group 2 (ru-verbs)

食べる → 食べられる

Drop る then add られる

Irregular: する

する → できる

Completely irregular — memorize

Irregular: 来る

来る → 来られる (こられる)

Memorize

Examples

Watashi wa Nihongo ga hanasemasu.

I can speak Japanese.

Kono kanji ga yomemasu ka?

Can you read this kanji?

Ashita wa koraremasen.

I cannot come tomorrow.

Kare wa ryouri ga dekiru.

He can cook.

Kodomo no koro, oyogenakatta.

When I was a child, I couldn't swim.

Quick Quiz

Question 1 of 10

書く → potential form

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