Potential Form (~rareru/~eru)
〜られる/〜える
The potential form expresses ability or possibility — 'can do' or 'be able to do'.
Pattern
U-verb: ~う → ~える | Ru-verb: ~る → ~られる | する → できる | くる → こられる
Explanation
The potential form expresses that someone can or is able to do something. For u-verbs, change the final -u to -eru. For ru-verbs, replace -ru with -rareru. する becomes できる and くる becomes こられる.
In modern spoken Japanese, ru-verbs often drop the ら from られる, resulting in forms like 食べれる instead of 食べられる. This is called 'ra-nuki kotoba' (ら抜き言葉). While very common in casual speech, it is considered grammatically incorrect in formal writing and exams.
Note that the potential form of ru-verbs looks identical to the passive form. Context determines the meaning. In potential sentences, the object is often marked with が instead of を, though を is also acceptable in modern Japanese.
Examples
日本語が話せるようになりたい。
にほんごがはなせるようになりたい。
nihongo ga hanaseru you ni naritai.
I want to become able to speak Japanese.
この漢字が読めますか。
このかんじがよめますか。
kono kanji ga yomemasu ka.
Can you read this kanji?
明日は来られますか。
あしたはこられますか。
ashita wa koraremasu ka.
Can you come tomorrow?
ここでは泳げません。
ここではおよげません。
koko de wa oyogemasen.
You can't swim here.
Common Mistakes
Wrong
日本語を話せる (in formal writing)
Correct
日本語が話せる
In potential sentences, the object is traditionally marked with が, not を, though を is increasingly accepted.
Wrong
食べれる (in formal/written contexts)
Correct
食べられる
Ra-nuki (dropping ら) is common in speech but should be avoided in formal writing and JLPT exams.
Wrong
できられる
Correct
できる
できる is already the potential form of する. Do not add られる to it.
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