られる (Potential) — Physics of Ability
The potential form turns an action into an ability ("can do"). Unlike English, where "can" is a separate word, Japanese changes the verb itself, and the focus shifts from the action to the STATE of it being possible.
Structure
u-verb: -u → -e + る (書く→書ける) | ru-verb: drop る + られる (食べる→食べられる)
Examples
この野菜は生で食べられます。
Kono yasai wa nama de taberaremasu.
This vegetable can be eaten raw.
食べる (eat) → 食べられる (can be eaten)
漢字が少し読めます。
Kanji ga sukoshi yomemasu.
I can read kanji a little bit.
読む (read) → 読める (can read)
彼女はフランス語が話せる。
Kanojo wa furansugo ga hanaseru.
She can speak French.
話す (speak) → 話せる (can speak)
• The Object Marker Shift: Because potential describes a STATE, the object marker を often shifts to が (漢字を読む → 漢字が読める). • The Ra-Nuki Shortcut: In casual speech, many drop the 'ra' from ru-verb potentials (食べられる → 食べれる). Technically nonstandard, but very common. • Irregulars: する → できる (to be able to do). 来る → 来られる (read こられる; casual ra-nuki: 来れる = これる).
Commonly confused with
The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones られる is tested against.
vs られる (passive)
Identical shape for ru-verbs (食べられる). Potential = 'can do' (object often が); passive = 'is done to me' (agent marked に). Context decides.
vs できる
できる is the potential of する, and also expresses ability with noun+が (料理ができる); the -eru/-rareru pattern conjugates the verb itself.
vs ことができる
[dictionary verb]+ことができる is a longer, slightly more formal way to say 'can do', equivalent in meaning to the potential form.
More verb forms
- てくる — Come Doing / Has Been Doing (Toward Now)
- てみる — Try Doing (and See)
- Potential Form — Can / Be Able To (Verbs)
- がる／がっている — Describing Others' Feelings
- 〜出す (だす) — Abrupt Eruptions
- 〜始める (はじめる) — Intentional Beginnings
- 意向形 (いこうけい) — Volitional Form (Let's / I'll)
- くする / にする — Make something become (a quality)
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