You have already learned
a compound potential form of verbs using "the
infinitive of verb +koto ga dekiru".
In this lesson, you will learn the simple
potential form of the verb; depending on the class of
verb it ends in "-eru" or
in "rareru".
*How to make potential form of verbs
The potential form of verbs is obtained as follows:
For group-1 verbs > the final "u" in the infinitive of verbs is replaced by "-eru".
<samples> ( Please click HERE to hear there
sentences below.)
買うKau(to buy)=>買えるka-eru (to be able to
buy)="買うことができる＝kau koto ga dekiru"
e.g Kono tokei wa ichi-man-yen de kaemasu .この時計は一万円で買えます。
( As for this watch, you can buy it with 10 thousand yen.)
言うIu(to say)=>言えるi-eru (to be able to say)="言うことができる＝iu
koto ga dekiru"
e.g Watashi wa sayoonara o
iemasendeshita. 私はさようならを言えませんでした。
( I couldn't say "good-by")
For group 2 verbs <"-iru"and "-eru" verbs > the final "ru" in the infinitive of verbs is replaced by "-rareru"
<samples>
見るmiru(to see/watch)=>見られるmi-rareru (to
be able to see)="見ることができる＝miru koto ga dekiru"
e.g Kinou no yoru wa takusan hoshi ga miraremashita.
昨日の夜はたくさん星が見られました。
( Last night, I could see a lot of stars..)
食べるtaberu(to eat)=>食べられるtabe-rareru (to
be able toeat)="食べることができる＝taberu koto ga dekiru"
e.g Kono sakana wa ( Anata wa )taberaremasen
この魚は（あなたは）食べられません。
( You can't eat this fish.)
For the irregular kuru ands suru:
来るkuru(to come)=>来られるko-rareru (to be
able to come)="来ることができる＝kuru koto ga dekiru"
e.g Watashi wa ashita no paatii ni
ko-raremasen.私は明日のパーティに来られません。
( I can't come to the party tomorrow.)
するsuru(to do)=>できるdekiru (to be able to
do)
e.g Watashi wa ryouri ga dekimasen. 私は料理が出来ません。
( I can't cook.)
[Grammatical Notes]
*Potential form of verbs "eru/rareru" has
the four fundamental inflection patterns and BEHAVES
LIKE A TYPICAL GROUP 2 VERB, as described in lesson-10
e.g Inflection pattern of
"ka-eru"=>kae-masu(masu-form),kae-nai(negative
root),kae-te(te-form)
Exercise 1, Please
make the simple potential forms of the following verbs
as in the example.
e.g 行く(iku)＝＞行ける、行けます、行けない、行けて (
ikeru, ikemasu, ikenai, ikete )
食べる(taberu)＝＞食べられる、食べられます、食べられない、食べられて ( taberareru,
taberaremasu, taberarenai, taberarete )
1, 入る(to enter)
2, 待つ(to wait)
3, 飛ぶ(to jump)
4, 笑う(to laugh)
5, 選ぶ(to choose)
6, 起きる(to wake up)
7, 見せる(to show)
8, 使う(to use)
9, 住む(to live)
10, 会う(to meet)
*Informal tense forms of the potential form
"-eru/rareru" is as follows.
Please note that they follow exactly the group-2 verb
patterns
* Present positive: -eru ( e.g
kaeru=to be able to buy, nomeru=to be able to drink )--the
same as infinitive form
e.g watashi wa sake ga nomeru.私は酒が飲める。
( I can drink sake.)
* Present negative: -enai (e.g kaenai, nomenai)--the same
as negative root .
e.g watashi wa sake ga
nomenai. 私は酒が飲めない。 ( I can't drink sake.)
* Past positive: -eta ( e.g kaeta, nometa )-- replace the
final "-e" in the participle(te-form) with "a".
e.g watashi wa mukashi sake ga nometa.
私は昔、酒が飲めた。 ( I was able to drink sake long ago.)
*mukashi=old times
* Past negative: -enakatta (e.g kaenakatta, nomenakatta)--
replace the final "-nai"in the negative root with
"nakatta"
e.g watashi wa mukashi sake ga
nomenakatta.私は昔、酒が飲めなかった。 ( I couldn't drink sake long
ago.)
*A direct object in a sentence using
potential verb form, can be followed by either "ga" or "o"
or "wa"
However, each brings its own different nuance to the
meaning.Thus:
A,(watashi wa) nihongo ga
hanase-masu.(I can speak Japanese/ The language I can
speak is Japanese.)
=> This _expression puts stress on
"nihongo" which the subject(watashi) can speak.
* Question: "anata wa nani-go ga hanasemasuka (
What language can you speak?)
Answer: "watashi wa nihongo
ga hanasemasu" ( I can speak Japanese language)
B,(watashi wa) nihongo o
hanase-masu. (I can speak Japanese )
=> This _expression emphasizes the
subject's ability to be able to speak Japanese.
* Question: "anata wa nihongo ga
hanasemaska"( Can you speak Japanese?)
Answer: "hai, watashi wa nihongo
o hanasemasu"( Yes, I can )
C,(watashi wa) nihongo wa hanasemasu
( I can speak Japanese.)
=> This _expression implies the
subject (watashi) can't speak languages but Japanese.
(watsshi wa) nihongo wa
hanasemasen ( I can't speak Japanese.)
=> This _expression implies the
subject can't speak Japanese ,but other language.
Exercise 2. Please translate the following sentences, putting stress on the words indicated in the brackets.
e.g I can write Japanese.
(stress on "Japanese")
私は日本語が書けます。 Watashi wa nihongo ga kakemasu.
(stress on "can write")
私は日本語を書けます。 Watashi wa nihongo o kakemasu.
1, I can make Japanese food. *to make
=tsukuru ＝作る
(stress on "Japanese food")
(stress on "can make)
2, Can you read English newspapers?
*newspaper=shinbun＝新聞
(stress on "English newspapers")
(stress on "can read ?")
3, I can sing this difficult song well. *to
sing=utau＝歌う *well=umaku＝うまく
(stress on "this difficult song")
(stress on "can sing well")
4, You can't drink coffee, can you ?
(stress on "coffee")
(stress on "can't drink")
Exercise 3, Please translate the following conversation using informal expressoins ,as in the example.
e.g Q,Can you
speak English well ?
==> あなたは英語がうまく話せるの。
A, Yes, I can speak English
well.
==>ええ、うまく英語を話せるよ。
( by men)/ 話せるわ。 ( by women)
A, No, I can't speak
English well. But, I can speak Japanese well
==>
いいえ、うまく英語は話せないよ。けれども、日本語はうまく話せるよ。( by men)
==>
いいえ、うまく英語は話せないわ。けれども、日本語はうまく話せるわ。 ( by women)
1, Q, Can you make Japanese food ?
A. Yes, I can make it .
A, No, I can't make it. But, I can make
Chinese food well.
2, Q, Were you able to meet with him at the
station? *station=eki＝駅
A. Yes, I was able to meet with
him.
A, No, I was unable to meet with him.
3. Q, Can you make this computer
cheaper? *to make A cheaper=A o yasuku-suru ＝Aを安くする
A, Yes, I can make it cheaper.
A, No, I can't make it cheaper. But, I
can make that computer cheaper.
4, Q.Can I wash this dress by hand ?
*to wash=arau ＝洗う *by hand=te de ＝手で
A, Yes, you can wash it by hand.
A, No, you can't wash it by hand. But,
you can wash other clothes by hand. *other=hoka-no ＝他の
Exercise 4.Please translate the following sentences using the potential forms as instructed in brackets < >.
e.g If you want my car, I can sell my
car to you.
< using "koto ga
dekiru>
あなたが私の車を欲しいならば、あなたに私の車を売ることが出来ます。
< using "eru" form>
あなたが私の車を欲しいならば、あなたに売れます。
1, If you can write Japanese language,
please translate what he says.
< using "koto ga dekiru">
< using "eru" form>
2, He should be able to enter
this school because he is studying hard. * to enter A =A
ni hairu＝Aに入る *hard=nesshin-ni ＝熱心に
< using "koto ga dekiru">
< using "eru" form>
3, I can't do anything today because it's
already late * late=osoi＝遅い *already=mou ＝もう
<using "koto ga dekiru">
<using "dekiru">
4, If you want to work at our company, you
are able to work with us.. *to work=hataraku ＝働く
< using "koto ga dekiru">
< using "eru" form >
5, I can't use this book because
this is not mine. *to use=tsukau ＝使う
<using "koto ga dekiru>
< using "eru" form >
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