Japanese

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 the verb group.

For verbs in Group 2, change the -る ending into -られる.

Group 2 verbs	食たべる	見みる
Potential form	食たべられる	見みられる
Polite potential form	食たべられます	見みられます
Translation	to be able to eat	to be able to see

For verbs in Group 1, change the final う-sound into an え-sound, and add -る as ending.

Group 1 verbs	行いく	話はなす	飲のむ
Potential form	行いける	話はなせる	飲のめる
Polite potential form	行いけます	話はなせます	飲のめます
Translation	to be able to go	to be able to speak	to be able to drink

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

Special cases	する	来くる
Potential form	できる	来こられる
Polite potential form	できます	来こられます
Translation	to be able to do	to be able to come

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.