Japanese Potential Form: Say Can and Can't With Any Verb

The potential form: can and can’t

In casual speech many Group 2 verbs drop ら: 見られる → 見れる. It is very common but still marked as informal.

Short answer: to say “can”, Japanese changes the verb itself. Group 1 verbs move the last sound to the e-row and add る: 書く → 書ける (can write). Group 2 verbs replace る with られる: 食べる → 食べられる. する becomes できる. The thing you can do often takes が instead of を: 日本語が話せます, “I can speak Japanese”.

Forming the potential

Press each to hear the dictionary form change.

Potential	Meaning	From
kakeru	can write	書く
hanaseru	can speak	話す
nomeru	can drink	飲む
oyogeru	can swim	泳ぐ
ikeru	can go	行く
taberareru	can eat	食べる
dekiru	can do	する
korareru	can come	来る

が with the potential

The potential describes a state (being able), so the object usually switches from を to が. を is also heard, especially with longer sentences.

日本語にほんごnihongoJapaneseがga(object of ability)少しすこしsukoshia little話せますはなせますhanasemasucan speak

Nihongo ga sukoshi hanasemasu.“I can speak a little Japanese.”Why: が marks what you can do.

刺身さしみsashimisashimiがga(object)食べられますかたべられますかtaberaremasu kacan you eat?

Sashimi ga taberaremasu ka.“Can you eat sashimi?”Why: A considerate host’s question.

ここkokohereからkarafrom富士山ふじさんFujisanMount Fujiがga(subject)見えますみえますmiemasuis visible

Koko kara Fujisan ga miemasu.“You can see Mount Fuji from here.”Why: For things naturally seen or heard, Japanese uses 見える and 聞こえる, not 見られる.

ことができる

A second way: dictionary form + ことができる. It is a little more formal and works for every verb.

見える and 聞こえる

Two special verbs mean “can be seen” and “can be heard”, by themselves. 見られる and 聞ける mean you are able to watch or listen.

窓まどmadowindowからkarafrom富士山ふじさんFujisanMt Fujiがga(subject)見えますみえますmiemasuis visible

Mado kara Fujisan ga miemasu.“You can see Mt Fuji from the window.”Why: 見える: visible by itself.

鳥とりtoribirdsのno’s声こえkoevoicesがga(subject)聞こえますきこえますkikoemasucan be heard

Tori no koe ga kikoemasu.“I can hear the birds.”Why: 聞こえる: audible.

このkonothis映画えいがeigafilmはwa(topic)ネットnettoonlineでdeon見られますみられますmiraremasucan watch

Kono eiga wa netto de miraremasu.“You can watch this film online.”Why: 見られる: an opportunity to watch.

できる: can, done, ready

できる means “can do”, but also “be completed”, “be built” and “come into being”.

Dropping ら: 見れる

In speech, many people drop ら from Group 2 potentials: 見られる → 見れる. It is very common, but keep the full form in writing and formal speech.

Spoken	Meaning	Standard
mireru	can see	見られる
tabereru	can eat	食べられる
koreru	can come	来られる
okireru	can get up	起きられる

Cheat sheet: making the potential

One verb per group.

Verb	Meaning	Potential
kaku	write	書ける
hanasu	speak	話せる
taberu	eat	食べられる
suru	do	できる
kuru	come	来られる (こられる)

Check yourself

Give the potential form, then open the answer.

swim泳ぐおよぐoyogu
Show answer
泳げる.
read読むよむyomu
Show answer
読める.
see見るみるmiru
Show answer
見られる.
go行くいくiku
Show answer
行ける.
drive運転するうんてんするunten suru
Show answer
運転できる.
wait待つまつmatsu
Show answer
待てる.

Can’t

The negative potential is the polite way to decline or explain a limit.

明日あしたashitatomorrow来られますかこられますかkoraremasu kacan you come?

Ashita koraremasu ka. · “Can you come tomorrow?”来る → 来られる.

すみませんsumimasensorry明日あしたashitatomorrowはwa(contrast)行けませんいけませんikemasencan’t go

Sumimasen, ashita wa ikemasen. · “Sorry, I can’t make it tomorrow.”Japanese says “can’t go” where English says “can’t come”.

お酒おさけosakealcoholはwa(topic)飲めますかのめますかnomemasu kacan you drink?

Osake wa nomemasu ka. · “Do you drink?”Asked as “can you drink”, a polite way to check.

あまりamarinot much飲めませんのめませんnomemasencan’t drink

Amari nomemasen. · “I can’t drink much.”A graceful way to decline.