可能形 Can do / Able to
Core meaning - Can do / Able to
Form - くる→こられる; する→できる; 書く→書ける; 見る→見られる; 話す→話せる; 食べる→食べられる
Usage - Focus on the highlighted segment in each example; surrounding words can change while the pattern function stays the same.
Use this pattern for its grammatical function, not as a literal word-by-word translation.
See examples below for varied real-world usage.
Object takes が (not を) with potential
- ✅ 日本語が話せる
- △ 日本語を話せる (acceptable but less natural)
ら抜き言葉 (casual speech)
- 食べられる → 食べれる
- 見られる → 見れる
- (Common but technically "incorrect")
Potential vs ことができる
- 話せる = inherent ability
- 話すことができる = circumstantial possibility
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