N4 Verb Forms

可能かのう形けい: meaning, usage and examples

可能かのう形けい means: Verb Potential-form.

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. 泳およげる、食たべられる、できる、来こられる

   [Potential-form] of swim, eat, do, come

2. 私わたしは中国語ちゅうごくごが話はなせます。

   I can speak Chinese.

3. 鈴木すずきさんはピアノが弾ひけます。

   Ms. Suzuki can play the piano.

4. 朝あさは早はやく起おきられません。

   I can't get up early in the morning.

5. 明日あしたのパーティーに来こられますか。

   Can you come to the party tomorrow?

When to use it

The potential form says what someone can or cannot do, either because of skill (ピアノが弾ひけます, I can play the piano) or because of circumstances (明日あしたは来こられません, I can't come tomorrow). The result conjugates like a Group 2 verb, so 書かける becomes 書かけます, 書かけない, 書かけた.

Nuance

The object of a potential verb is usually marked with が rather than を: 日本語にほんごが話はなせます. を is also heard, especially with longer phrases. In casual speech many people drop ら from Group 2 verbs and 来くる (見みれる, 来これる); this is common but considered non-standard, so use the full form in tests and writing.

Compare

ことができる means the same thing and is a little more formal: 泳およぐことができます vs 泳およげます. Do not confuse potential forms with passive forms: for Group 2 and 来くる they look the same (食たべられる can mean "can eat" or "be eaten"), so context decides.

Tip: For する verbs, swap する for できる: 勉強べんきょうする becomes 勉強べんきょうできる, 運転うんてんする becomes 運転うんてんできる. Forms like "勉強べんきょうられる" are a common beginner mistake.

More on this in Japanese verb conjugation.