Potential Form I: How to Make It

For ichidan verbs, replace る with られる.

For godan verbs, change the final う-row sound to the え-row and add る.

する becomes できる, and 来るくる becomes 来られるこられる.

In everyday materials, this is the standard form to learn first.

The potential form can describe a person’s ability or whether something is possible in a given situation.

In practical reading, both meanings are common.

With the potential form, the thing that can be done is often marked by が, though を may also appear in real usage.

For learning and clean reading, pay attention first to the ability meaning.

Compare 書きますかきます→書けますかけます and 食べますたべます→食べられますたべられます.

書くかく becomes 書けるかける;

食べるたべる becomes 食べられるたべられる.

Verb class controls the potential form.