ๅ่ฉใฎๅฏ่ฝๅฝข
Doushi no Kanoukei
The Potential Form
๐ป Expressing Ability and Possibility ๐ป
๐ฌ Dialogue
Kanji ga kakemasu ka.
Can you write Kanji?
Sukoshi kakemasu ga, muzukashii kanji wa yomemasen.
I can write a little, but I can't read difficult Kanji.
Nattou ga taberaremasu ka.
Can you eat Natto?
Hai, taberaremasu. Daisuki desu.
Yes, I can eat it. I love it.
Hitori de Nihon e ikemasu ka.
Can you go to Japan by yourself?
Hai, rainen ikeru to omoimasu.
Yes, I think I can go next year.
๐ Vocabulary
5 wordsโญ Key Sentence
V-Kanoukei
Can do V / Is possible to V
- Pattern: ๅ่ฉใฎๅฏ่ฝๅฝข
- Meaning: Expresses the ability to perform an action or the possibility of an action occurring.
Gitaa ga hikemasu.
I can play the guitar.
Sashimi ga taberaremasu.
I can eat sashimi.
๐ Explanation
The Potential Form is used to say you 'can' do something. For Group 1 (U-verbs), change the final 'u' sound to 'e' and add 'masu' or 'ru'. For Group 2 (Ru-verbs), replace 'ru' with 'rareru'.
Note that when using the potential form, the object particle ใ (wo) often changes to ใ (ga).
Irregular verbs: ใใ (kuru) becomes ใใใใ (korareru) and ใใ (suru) becomes ใงใใ (dekiru).
Nihongo ga hanasemasu.
= 'I can speak Japanese.'
Ashita koraremasu ka?
= 'Can you come tomorrow?'
๐ Quiz
How do you say 'I can read Kanji' using the potential form?