The potential form (可能形 / かのうけい) lets you express ability: “I can speak Japanese,” “Can you read this kanji?” It’s one of the first conjugations that makes your Japanese feel real.
Conjugation Rules
Godan Verbs (五段 / Group 1)
Change the final -u sound to the -e column, then add る:
| Dictionary | Potential | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 書く (kaku) | 書ける (kakeru) | Can write |
| 話す (hanasu) | 話せる (hanaseru) | Can speak |
| 読む (yomu) | 読める (yomeru) | Can read |
| 飲む (nomu) | 飲める (nomeru) | Can drink |
| 泳ぐ (oyogu) | 泳げる (oyogeru) | Can swim |
| 待つ (matsu) | 待てる (materu) | Can wait |
| 買う (kau) | 買える (kaeru) | Can buy |
Ichidan Verbs (一段 / Group 2)
Drop る, add られる:
| Dictionary | Potential (Standard) | Potential (Casual) |
|---|---|---|
| 食べる (taberu) | 食べられる (taberareru) | 食べれる (tabereru) |
| 見る (miru) | 見られる (mirareru) | 見れる (mireru) |
| 寝る (neru) | 寝られる (nerareru) | 寝れる (nereru) |
| 出る (deru) | 出られる (derareru) | 出れる (dereru) |
ら抜き言葉 (ra-nuki kotoba): Dropping ら from られる is extremely common in spoken Japanese. 食べれる instead of 食べられる. For JLPT and formal writing, use the full form. In conversation, the short form is fine.
Irregular Verbs
| Dictionary | Potential | Note |
|---|---|---|
| する (suru) | できる (dekiru) | Completely different word |
| 来る (kuru) | 来られる (korareru) | Casual: 来れる (koreru) |
The が vs を Debate
A common question: which particle goes with potential form?
| Normal | Potential (Traditional) | Potential (Modern) |
|---|---|---|
| 漢字を読む | 漢字が読める | 漢字を読める |
| 日本語を話す | 日本語が話せる | 日本語を話せる |
Rule of thumb: が emphasizes what you can do. を emphasizes the action. For JLPT, prefer が.
Potential vs できる
- Potential form: Used with regular verbs — 漢字が読める (can read kanji)
- できる: Used with する-verbs — 料理ができる (can cook)
- できる + noun: General ability — 日本語ができる (can do Japanese / know Japanese)
Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Correct | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 泳ぐことができれる | 泳げる / 泳ぐことができる | Don't mix both forms |
| するできる | できる | する → できる (irregular) |
| 行くられる | 行ける | 行く is godan, not ichidan |
| ピアノを弾ける (JLPT) | ピアノが弾ける | Use が for JLPT exams |
Natural Usage Examples
- お箸が使えますか？ — Can you use chopsticks?
- 一人で来られますか？ — Can you come alone?
- 明日は何時に会えますか？ — What time can we meet tomorrow?
- この漢字、読めない。 — I can't read this kanji.
- もう少し安くなりませんか？ — Can't it be a bit cheaper? (indirect potential)
Japanese Verb Forms
Frequently Asked Questions
For ichidan verbs, standard uses られる (食べられる). Casual speech drops ら (食べれる) — called ら抜き言葉. Use full form for JLPT and formal writing.
Traditionally が (漢字が読める). Modern Japanese accepts を too, especially casually. For JLPT, stick with が.
できる is for する-verbs (料理ができる) and general ability. The potential conjugation (-える/-られる) is for other verbs.
Learn the kanji behind every grammar pattern.