Japanese Potential Form: Basic Japanese Grammar on Verb Potential Form - られる

When you're learning Japanese, one of the first things you want to express is what you can and can't do, like "I can speak Japanese." The potential form transforms regular verbs into their "able to" versions. Instead of saying taberu () meaning "to eat," you'd say taberareru () meaning "can eat." Pretty straightforward concept. Read through this post to learn all the breakdowns!

How to form the potential in Japanese

The conjugation rules depend on what type of verb you're working with. Japanese verbs fall into three categories: godan verbs (), ichidan verbs (), and irregular verbs. Each group follows different rules.

Conjugating godan verbs to Japanese potential form

Godan verbs are the ones that end in various う-row sounds: う, く, ぐ, す, つ, ぬ, ぶ, む, る.

Let me show you with some examples:

Conjugating ichidan verbs

Ichidan verbs are the ones that end in either eru or iru sounds. These are actually easier to conjugate into potential form.

This られる ending is super important because it shows up in other grammar patterns too, which sometimes confuses learners. The passive form uses the same られる ending for ichidan verbs, so context becomes crucial for understanding which meaning is intended.

Irregular verbs

There are only two irregular verbs in Japanese, and they both have special potential forms you need to memorize.

The suru to dekiru transformation is the one you'll use most often. Dekiru is incredibly common in Japanese conversation because it can express general ability or possibility. When you attach it to noun phrases, you get expressions like "nihongo ga dekiru" () meaning "can speak Japanese" or "ryouri ga dekiru" () meaning "can cook."

Negative potential form

To say you can't do something, you conjugate the potential form into its negative version. Since potential verbs are all ichidan verbs (They all end in eru), they follow ichidan conjugation rules for the negative.

You'll use the negative potential form all the time when explaining limitations or making excuses (in a totally normal way, not a bad way).

Particle usage: が vs を

This is where things get interesting. In regular Japanese sentences, you typically mark the direct object with the particle wo (を). But when you use the potential form, the particle often changes to ga (が).

Notice how wo changed to ga? This happens because the potential form technically makes the object into the subject of the ability. You're saying "sushi is edible (to me)" rather than "I eat sushi."

That said, you'll still hear native speakers use wo with potential verbs in casual conversation. Both are grammatically acceptable in modern Japanese, though ga is considered more standard. When you're starting out, stick with ga for potential sentences. It'll sound more natural.

Three main functions of the potential form

The potential form does more than just express ability. It actually serves three distinct functions in Japanese grammar.

Expressing ability

This is the most obvious use. You're talking about skills or capabilities you possess.

Describing situations

The potential form can indicate what's possible in a particular situation or circumstance.

In these sentences, you're not necessarily talking about personal ability. You're describing what the situation allows.

Indicating attributes

Sometimes the potential form expresses an inherent quality or attribute of something.

Potential form vs ことができる

Japanese has another way to express ability: using the construction koto ga dekiru (ことができる). This pattern means the exact same thing as the potential form.

Both sentences mean exactly the same thing. The potential form is shorter and more conversational. The koto ga dekiru pattern sounds slightly more formal or deliberate.

In casual conversation, you'll hear the potential form way more often. It's quicker and flows better. But in writing or formal situations, koto ga dekiru shows up more frequently. Some learners actually find koto ga dekiru easier at first because you don't need to conjugate the verb itself, you just attach the pattern to the dictionary form.

Common mistakes to avoid when using verb potential form

Learning tips on potential form in the Japanese language

FAQs

Now you can tell people you can speak Japanese

Mastering the potential form opens up a huge range of expression in Japanese. You'll use it when talking about your language learning progress ("I can read katakana now!"), when making plans with friends ("Can you come to karaoke?"), when describing places ("You can see cherry blossoms from this park"), and when explaining what you're capable of doing. Moreover, there are more sentences you can understand when consuming media as well.

Try saying "I can speak Japanese" today!