What is the Potential Form?
The potential form expresses ability or possibility - what you "can do" or what's "possible to do."
読む → 読める
"read" → "can read"
食べる → 食べられる
"eat" → "can eat"
する → できる
"do" → "can do"
Conjugation Rules
Group 1 (五段 Godan Verbs)
Change final -u to -eru:
| Dictionary Form | Potential Form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 書く (kaku) | 書ける (kakeru) | can write |
| 読む (yomu) | 読める (yomeru) | can read |
| 話す (hanasu) | 話せる (hanaseru) | can speak |
| 買う (kau) | 買える (kaeru) | can buy |
| 泳ぐ (oyogu) | 泳げる (oyogeru) | can swim |
| 飲む (nomu) | 飲める (nomeru) | can drink |
| 会う (au) | 会える (aeru) | can meet |
Group 2 (一段 Ichidan Verbs)
Replace -ru with -rareru:
| Dictionary Form | Potential Form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 食べる (taberu) | 食べられる (taberareru) | can eat |
| 見る (miru) | 見られる (mirareru) | can see |
| 起きる (okiru) | 起きられる (okirareru) | can wake up |
| 寝る (neru) | 寝られる (nerareru) | can sleep |
| 着る (kiru) | 着られる (kirareru) | can wear |
Group 3 (Irregular Verbs)
| Dictionary Form | Potential Form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| する (suru) | できる (dekiru) | can do |
| 来る (kuru) | 来られる (korareru) | can come |
Shortened Potential Form (ら-抜き)
Casual speech often drops ら:
| Standard | Shortened | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 食べられる | 食べれる | can eat |
| 見られる | 見れる | can see |
| 起きられる | 起きれる | can wake up |
Standard: 食べられる
Casual: 食べれる
Both mean "can eat"
Note: The shortened form is common in conversation but technically incorrect. Use the full form in formal writing.
Basic Usage
Pattern: Subject + は/が + Potential Verb
私は日本語が話せます
"I can speak Japanese"
彼は泳げる
"He can swim"
ここで写真が撮れますか？
"Can I take photos here?"
Particle: を → が
Important: With potential form, the direct object marker を changes to が:
Plain verb: 本を読む
"I read books"
Potential: 本が読める
"I can read books"
Plain: 寿司を食べる
Potential: 寿司が食べられる
"I can eat sushi"
Why? The potential form is intransitive - you don't "do" to something, you have the "ability" regarding something.
Common Patterns
Can you...?
日本語が話せますか？
"Can you speak Japanese?"
泳げますか？
"Can you swim?"
車が運転できますか？
"Can you drive a car?"
I can...
漢字が読めます
"I can read kanji"
ピアノが弾けます
"I can play piano"
自転車に乗れます
"I can ride a bike"
I can't...
日本語が話せません
"I can't speak Japanese"
泳げない
"I can't swim"
早く起きられない
"I can't wake up early"
Expressing Possibility
The potential form also expresses possibility (something is possible):
ここから富士山が見える
"Mt. Fuji can be seen from here"
この店でクレジットカードが使えます
"Credit cards can be used at this store"
明日会えますか？
"Can we meet tomorrow?" (Is it possible?)
Past Tense
昨日は泳げた
"I could swim yesterday"
子供の時、ピアノが弾けました
"I could play piano when I was a child"
見られなかった
"I couldn't see"
Negative Form
泳げない - can't swim
食べられない - can't eat
できない - can't do
来られない - can't come
Polite Negative
泳げません
食べられません
できません
来られません
Common Conversations
Example 1: Language Ability
A: 英語が話せますか？
"Can you speak English?"
B: はい、少し話せます
"Yes, I can speak a little"
A: 中国語は？
"How about Chinese?"
B: いいえ、話せません
"No, I can't speak it"
Example 2: Skills
A: 料理ができますか？
"Can you cook?"
B: はい、少しできます
"Yes, I can cook a little"
A: 何が作れますか？
"What can you make?"
B: カレーとパスタが作れます
"I can make curry and pasta"
Example 3: Making Plans
A: 明日会えますか？
"Can you meet tomorrow?"
B: すみません、明日は会えません
"Sorry, I can't meet tomorrow"
A: じゃあ、週末は？
"Then, how about the weekend?"
B: 週末なら会えます
"I can meet on the weekend"
Special Verbs
見える vs 見られる
Both can mean "can see":
見える (mieru) - Naturally visible:
窓から海が見える
"The ocean can be seen from the window"
(It's naturally visible)
見られる (mirareru) - Able to see/watch:
この映画が見られますか？
"Can you watch this movie?"
(Have the ability/permission)
聞こえる vs 聞ける
聞こえる (kikoeru) - Naturally audible:
音楽が聞こえる
"I can hear music"
(Sound reaches my ears)
聞ける (kikeru) - Able to listen/ask:
質問が聞けますか？
"Can I ask a question?"
(Have the ability/permission)
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Using を instead of が
Wrong: 日本語を話せます ❌
Right: 日本語が話せます ✓
"I can speak Japanese"
Mistake 2: Wrong conjugation
Wrong: 食べるられる ❌
Right: 食べられる ✓
"Can eat"
Wrong: 書かれる (this is passive!) ❌
Right: 書ける ✓
"Can write"
Mistake 3: Confusing potential with passive
Potential: 食べられる (can eat)
Passive: 食べられる (is eaten)
Context makes it clear!
Mistake 4: Using potential for requests
Less natural: 窓を開けられますか？ ⚠️
Better: 窓を開けてもらえますか？ ✓
"Could you open the window?"
Potential = ability, not request!
Potential vs できる
For specific verbs: Use potential form
泳げます
"I can swim"
読めます
"I can read"
For する verbs: Use できる
料理ができます
"I can cook" (料理する → できる)
運転ができます
"I can drive" (運転する → できる)
For general ability: Both work
日本語ができます ✓
日本語が話せます ✓
"I can (do) Japanese" / "I can speak Japanese"
Expressing Different Nuances
Physical ability
100メートル泳げる
"I can swim 100 meters"
重い物が持てる
"I can lift heavy things"
Learned skill
ピアノが弾ける
"I can play piano"
車が運転できる
"I can drive"
Permission/Possibility
ここで写真が撮れますか？
"Can I take photos here?"
今日は早く帰れる
"I can go home early today"
Politeness Levels
Casual
泳げる
食べれる (shortened)
できる
Polite
泳げます
食べられます
できます
Very Polite (Questions)
泳げますでしょうか？
食べられますでしょうか？
Practice Sentences
Basic
日本語が話せます
"I can speak Japanese"
漢字が読めます
"I can read kanji"
泳げません
"I can't swim"
Intermediate
明日は早く起きられますか？
"Can you wake up early tomorrow?"
ここから富士山が見えます
"Mt. Fuji can be seen from here"
辛い物が食べられません
"I can't eat spicy food"
Advanced
子供の頃は一日中遊べましたが、今は時間がありません
"When I was a child I could play all day, but now I don't have time"
この資料は明日までに読めますか？
"Can you read these materials by tomorrow?"
彼なら絶対にできると信じています
"I believe he can definitely do it"
Related Grammar Points
- 〜ことができる - Alternative "can" expression
- Potential vs Ability - Nuance differences
- Passive form - Similar conjugation
- 〜やすい/〜にくい - Easy/hard to do
- Permission expressions - てもいい
- Possibility expressions - かもしれない