Learn Japanese
Lesson 119: Indicating ability with the potential form

In Japanese the ability to perform an action is expressed through conjugation of the verb, instead of by using auxiliary verbs like can and to be able to. This conjugation puts the verb into the potential form.

The potential form of all verbs ends in -る, and all potential forms are Group 2 verbs. Therefore, to convert a verb in potential form into -ます form, you simply replace the -る ending with -ます.

How the original verb is conjugated into the potential form depends on whether the verb ends in -る or not.

For verbs with -る endings, change the -る ending into -られる.

For non -る endings, change the final う-sound into an え-sound, and add -る as ending.

The potential forms of, する and 来くる are special cases.

When using the potential form, what in English would be the object, is the subject in Japanese. Therefore you will see the subject particle が where you would expect the object particle を.