Japanese Potential Form: Saying 'I Can' for ru-verbs (～られる)
られる to express your modern abilities and digital possibilities.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
To say you can do a ru-verb, replace the final 'ru' with 'rareru'.
- Identify a ru-verb: {食べる|たべる} (to eat).
- Remove the final 'ru': {食べ|たべ}.
- Add 'rareru': {食べられる|たべられる} (can eat).
Overview
The potential form in Japanese expresses ability or possibility: "can do," "is able to do," or "it is possible to do." For ru-verbs (also known as Group 2 verbs or Ichidan verbs), this transformation allows you to indicate that the subject possesses the capability to perform an action or that an action is feasible. Unlike English, where "can" is a separate auxiliary verb, Japanese integrates this meaning directly into the verb's structure. Mastering the potential form is a significant step for B1 learners, as it shifts your communication from merely stating actions to discussing capabilities, opportunities, and limitations.
It fundamentally changes how you describe interaction with objects, often replacing the direct object particle を with が to emphasize the object's susceptibility to the action. This grammatical construction is indispensable for articulating personal skills, situational allowances, and everyday constraints.
Conjugation Table
| Form | Rule | Example (Dictionary Form: {食べる | たべる}) | Example (Dictionary Form: {見る | みる}) | Meaning | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| :---------------- | :---------------------------------- | :------------------------------------- | :----------------------------------- | :------------------------------------------- | ||||
| Plain Potential | Base + られる (rareru) |
{食べられる | たべられる} | {見られる | みられる} | Can eat / Can see (informal) | ||
| Plain Potential Negative | Base + られない (rarenai) |
{食べられない | たべられない} | {見られない | みられない} | Cannot eat / Cannot see (informal) | ||
| Polite Potential | Base + られます (raremasu) |
{食べられます | たべられます} | {見られます | みられます} | Can eat / Can see (polite) | ||
| Polite Potential Negative | Base + られません (raremasen) |
{食べられません | たべられません} | {見られません | みられません} | Cannot eat / Cannot see (polite) | ||
Ra-nuki Plain Potential |
Base + れる (reru) |
{食べれる | たべれる} | {見れる | みれる} | Can eat / Can see (casual) | ||
Ra-nuki Plain Potential Negative |
Base + れない (renai) |
{食べれない | たべれない} | {見れない | みれない} | Cannot eat / Cannot see (casual) | ||
*Note: The Base refers to the verb stem after removing the final る from the dictionary form (e.g., {食べる |
たべる} → {食べ | たべ}, {起きる | おきる} → {起き | おき}).* |
How This Grammar Works
- 1Verb Classification Change and Further Conjugation: Upon conjugation into its potential form, a ru-verb effectively becomes a new ru-verb. For instance, the action verb 食べる (to eat) transforms into the potential verb 食べられる (can eat). Because 食べられる now functions as a ru-verb, it can be conjugated using all standard ru-verb endings without exception. This means you can form its polite form (食べられます), its negative form (食べられない), its past tense (食べられた), or even its volitional form (食べられよう) just like any other Group 2 verb. This consistent behavior after the initial transformation greatly simplifies subsequent conjugations.
- 1Particle Shift:
をbecomesが: This is a cornerstone of understanding the potential form's linguistic underpinnings. In a standard sentence like 私はラーメンを食べる (I eat ramen), the particleをexplicitly marks ラーメン as the direct object, receiving the action of 食べる. However, when you express ability with 私はラーメンが食べられる (I can eat ramen), the grammatical relationship shifts. You are no longer describing a direct action on the ramen but rather articulating a state of capability or possibility with respect to the ramen. The particleがthen marks the object of this potentiality, indicating what is able to be done or what is possible. This is not merely a stylistic choice; it reflects a change in the verb's transitivity and the sentence's focus. While casual speech may occasionally useをwith potential verbs, usingがis grammatically standard, demonstrates precision, and is essential in formal contexts. Consider the distinction:
- 私は日本語を話す。 (I speak Japanese.) — 話す is a u-verb, but shows direct action on 日本語.
- 私は日本語が話せる。 (I can speak Japanese.) — Expresses a state of ability; 日本語 is the object of potentiality, not direct action.
Formation Pattern
る, which is preceded by either an e sound (e.g., 食べる, 寝る, 始める) or an i sound (e.g., 見る, 起きる, 浴びる).
る. This remaining part is the verb stem.
られる: Attach the suffix られる (rareru) directly to the verb stem. This immediately yields the plain, dictionary form of the potential verb.
られる → 食べられる (can eat)
られる → 見られる (can see/watch)
られる → 起きられる (can wake up)
られる is attached, the resulting verb is treated as a standard ru-verb. To form polite affirmative, replace the final る with ます (食べられます). For polite negative, replace it with ません (食べられません). For plain negative, replace it with ない (食べられない).
When To Use It
- Expressing Personal Ability or Skill: This is the most direct application, indicating that you or someone else has the acquired skill, knowledge, or physical capacity to perform an action.
- 私は納豆が食べられます。 (I can eat natto.) — Implies a personal ability/tolerance.
- 彼は車が運転できます。 (He can drive a car.) — Note: できる is the potential form of する, often used for skills.
- Indicating Situational Possibility or Opportunity: When circumstances allow an action to occur, or an opportunity presents itself, the potential form is used.
- ここから富士山が見られます。 (You can see Mt. Fuji from here.) — Expresses that it is possible/visible due to the location.
- 明日の会議に来られますか？ (Can you come to tomorrow's meeting?) — Asks about the possibility of attendance.
- Implying Permission or Availability: While not a direct request for permission, the potential form can subtly inquire about the permissibility or availability of something.
- このサンプル、いただけますか？ (Can I have this sample?) — Potential of いただく, humbly asking if it's possible to receive.
- すみません、このペン、使えますか？ (Excuse me, can I use this pen?) — Potential of 使う (u-verb), asking if it's available for use.
- Distinguishing from 見える and 聞こえる: It is critical to differentiate the active potential (
~られる) from these intransitive verbs that describe passive sensory reception. - Potential Form (
~られる): Emphasizes an active choice, conscious effort, or inherent ability to perceive. You choose to see or hear. - 静かな場所なので、勉強に集中できます。 (It's a quiet place, so I can concentrate on studying.) — Active effort.
- 私は映画を見られます。 (I can watch a movie.) — I have the ability/opportunity to choose to watch it.
- 見える (to be visible) / 聞こえる (to be audible): These describe phenomena that naturally enter your perception without any conscious effort or active intent on your part. They simply are visible or audible.
- 空に虹が見えます。 (A rainbow is visible in the sky.) — The rainbow is simply there for you to see.
- 遠くで雷が聞こえます。 (Thunder is audible in the distance.) — You hear it without trying to.
Common Mistakes
- 1Passive vs. Potential Ambiguity: This is arguably the most frequent and complex error for ru-verbs because their plain potential form is structurally identical to their plain passive form. For instance, 食べられる can mean "can eat" (potential) or "be eaten" (passive). Resolving this ambiguity relies heavily on context, the sentence's subject, and the particles used.
- Potential Usage: The subject typically holds the ability, and the object of potentiality is marked with
が. - 私は辛いものが食べられます。 (I can eat spicy things.) — Subject (私) has the ability; 辛いもの is marked by
が. - Passive Usage: The subject is the one receiving the action, and the agent performing the action (if explicitly stated) is marked by
に. - 彼は先生に褒められました。 (He was praised by the teacher.) — Subject (彼) receives praise from 先生 ({に}).
- ケーキは誰かに食べられました。 (The cake was eaten by someone.) — ケーキ is the subject and undergoes the action;
誰|だれ}かにis the agent.
が marks an object, it's very likely potential. If an inanimate object is the subject, passive is often the case.- 1Inconsistent Particle Usage (
をvs.が): As emphasized,がis the grammatically correct and preferred particle to mark the object of a potential verb. Usingをis prevalent in casual conversation but can be misleading and is considered grammatically less precise. It’s a common point of correction in formal settings.
- Standard and Correct: 私は魚が食べられます。 (I can eat fish.) — Focus on the fish being 'eatable' by me.
- Casual but less precise: 私は魚を食べられます。 (I can eat fish.)
が reinforces your understanding of the grammatical shift and is vital for academic or professional communication. The nuance of が reflects that the object is not just acted upon, but rather exists in a state where the action is possible.- 1Misjudging
Ra-nuki(ら抜き) Appropriateness: Thera-nukiform (e.g., 食べれる, 見れる) is extremely common in modern spoken Japanese, particularly among younger speakers, for its brevity and natural flow. However, it remains informal and is generally considered grammatically non-standard. Usingra-nukiin formal contexts such as academic papers, business emails, public speeches, or when addressing individuals in positions of authority is a noticeable error that can convey a lack of grammatical sophistication.
- Casual: もう見れる？ (Can you see it already?)
- Formal: もう見られますか？ (Can you see it already?)
られる form when formality is required. Think of it as knowing when to usePotential Form Conjugation (Ru-Verbs)
| Dictionary | Stem | Potential (Polite) | Potential (Casual) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
食べる
|
食べ
|
食べられます
|
食べられる
|
|
寝る
|
寝
|
寝られます
|
寝られる
|
|
起きる
|
起き
|
起きられます
|
起きられる
|
|
見る
|
見
|
見られます
|
見られる
|
|
着る
|
着
|
着られます
|
着られる
|
|
教える
|
教え
|
教えられます
|
教えられる
|
Meanings
The potential form is used to express that someone has the ability or the opportunity to perform an action.
Physical Ability
Possessing the physical capacity to do something.
“{泳げます|およげます} (I can swim)”
“{走れます|はしれます} (I can run)”
Opportunity
Having the circumstances available to do something.
“{明日|あした} {映画が|えいがが} {見られます|みられます} (I can watch a movie tomorrow)”
“{今日|きょう} {会えます|あえます} (I can meet today)”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Stem + られる
|
食べられる
|
|
Negative
|
Stem + られない
|
食べられない
|
|
Polite Affirmative
|
Stem + られます
|
食べられます
|
|
Polite Negative
|
Stem + られません
|
食べられません
|
|
Past
|
Stem + られた
|
食べられた
|
|
Question
|
Stem + られますか
|
食べられますか
|
Formality Spectrum
食べられます。 (Casual dining)
食べられます。 (Casual dining)
食べられるよ。 (Casual dining)
食べれる！ (Casual dining)
Potential Form Logic
Step 1
- Dictionary Form 食べる
Step 2
- Remove 'ru' 食べ
Step 3
- Add 'rareru' 食べられる
Examples by Level
{寿司が|すしが} {食べられます|たべられます}。
I can eat sushi.
{テレビが|てれびが} {見られます|みられます}。
I can watch TV.
{寝られます|ねられます}。
I can sleep.
{起きられます|おきられます}。
I can wake up.
{明日|あした} {出かけられます|でかけられます}。
I can go out tomorrow.
{この|この} {服が|ふくが} {着られます|きられます}。
I can wear these clothes.
{日本語が|にほんごが} {教えられます|おしえられます}。
I can teach Japanese.
{早く|はやく} {覚えられます|おぼえられます}。
I can remember it quickly.
{忙しくて|いそがしくて} {寝られません|ねられません}。
I'm busy and can't sleep.
{新しい|あたらしい} {アプリが|あぷりが} {使えます|つかえます}。
I can use the new app.
{会議に|かいぎに} {出られます|でられます}。
I can attend the meeting.
{準備が|じゅんびが} {整えられます|ととのえられます}。
I can prepare everything.
{この|この} {条件なら|じょうけんなら} {受け入れられます|うけいれられます}。
I can accept these conditions.
{複雑な|ふくざつな} {状況を|じょうきょうを} {説明できます|せつめいできます}。
I can explain the complex situation.
{予算を|よさんを} {抑えられます|おさえられます}。
I can keep the budget down.
{計画を|けいかくを} {進められます|すすめられます}。
I can move the plan forward.
{前例を|ぜんれいを} {踏まえられます|ふまえられます}。
I can take the precedent into account.
{矛盾を|むじゅんを} {正せられます|ただせられます}。
I can correct the contradictions.
{感情を|かんじょうを} {抑えられます|おさえられます}。
I can suppress my emotions.
{真実を|しんじつを} {見極められます|みきわめられます}。
I can discern the truth.
{この|この} {事態を|じたいを} {収拾させられます|しゅうしゅうさせられます}。
I can bring this situation under control.
{歴史を|れきしを} {塗り替えられます|ぬりかえられます}。
I can rewrite history.
{運命を|うんめいを} {切り開けます|きりひらけます}。
I can carve out my own destiny.
{本質を|ほんしつを} {捉えられます|とらえられます}。
I can grasp the essence.
Easily Confused
Both mean 'can', but 'koto ga dekiru' is a phrase, while potential is a conjugation.
Both use 'rareru'.
Learners apply ru-verb rules to u-verbs.
Common Mistakes
食べるをできる
食べられる
食べれる
食べられる
食べるられる
食べられる
食べられるを
食べられるが
見るられる
見られる
起きるられる
起きられる
着るられる
着られる
食べられませんを
食べられません
食べれる
食べられる
教えるられる
教えられる
食べさせられる
食べられる
見られるを
見られるが
寝られるを
寝られるが
Sentence Patterns
私は ___ が食べられます。
明日 ___ に出られます。
この本は ___ 読めます。
新しい計画を ___ られます。
Real World Usage
やっと食べられる！
明日行ける？
この業務を遂行できます。
ここで切符が買えますか？
配達は頼めますか？
この結果を解釈できます。
The Particle Switch
を to が when using potential form to sound like a pro native speaker!Avoid Ra-nuki in Business
ら (e.g., saying 食べれる) in a job interview or to your boss is a big no-no. Keep it formal!The 'I Can't' Politeness
Smart Tips
Always use the full 'rareru' form.
Default to 'ga' for potential verbs.
Avoid 'ra-nuki' entirely.
Feel free to use 'ra-nuki' to sound natural.
Pronunciation
Rareru
Pronounce the 'ra' clearly. In fast speech, it may blend.
Question
食べられますか↑
Rising intonation for questions.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'rareru' as 'rare-ru'—it's RARE that you can do it, so you need a special word!
Visual Association
Imagine a person trying to eat a giant burger. They take off the 'ru' (the wrapper) and add 'rareru' (the ability to eat it).
Rhyme
Take off the ru, add rareru, now you can do what you want to do!
Story
Ken wanted to sleep but couldn't. He learned the potential form. Now he says 'I can sleep' (nerareru) every night. He is very happy.
Word Web
Challenge
Write 5 sentences about things you can do today using ru-verbs.
Cultural Notes
The 'ra-nuki' (dropping 'ra') is very common in Tokyo but considered incorrect in formal writing.
Kansai speakers often use different potential forms entirely.
Always use the full 'rareru' form in meetings to show respect.
The potential form evolved from the passive voice, as the ability to do something was historically seen as something that happened to the subject.
Conversation Starters
今日、何が食べられますか？
明日、会議に出られますか？
この本、読めますか？
新しいプロジェクトを進められますか？
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
食べる -> ___
寿司 ___ 食べられます。
Find and fix the mistake:
見るをできます。
寝ます -> ___
食べれる is formal.
A: 明日行けますか？ B: はい、___。
が / 食べ / 寿司 / られます
起きる -> ___
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercises食べる -> ___
寿司 ___ 食べられます。
Find and fix the mistake:
見るをできます。
寝ます -> ___
食べれる is formal.
A: 明日行けますか？ B: はい、___。
が / 食べ / 寿司 / られます
起きる -> ___
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercises{昨日|きのう}は全然___。
[Netflix | られます | が | 見 | か]
I can't eat spicy food.
Casual 'can see':
Match the following:
このドアは___。
Formal 'can't come':
Can you wake up early?
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
Potential verbs describe a state, not an action, so 'ga' marks the object.
It is the colloquial habit of dropping the 'ra' in 'rareru'.
No, only ru-verbs follow this pattern. U-verbs are different.
It depends on the context; potential is more concise.
Yes, but use the full 'rareru' form.
They share the same suffix, but the meaning is different.
Add 'nai' or 'masen' to the potential stem.
Yes, e.g., 'I can feel it'.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Poder + infinitive
Japanese conjugates the verb itself.
Pouvoir + infinitive
Japanese is a single word.
Können
Japanese is agglutinative.
Potential conjugation
N/A
Istita'a
Japanese uses suffixation.
Neng
Japanese is synthetic.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Continue With
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