Select Conjugation ----------------------------------- Polite Form Past Form Conjunctive Form Request/Directive Form Progressive Form Negative Form Past Negative Form Potential Form Tentative Form Conditional Forms Desire Form Passive Form Causative Form Causative-passive Transitive/Intransitive Directional Verbs

～られる / ～える (potential form)

To make the potential form of an Ichidan verb, simply add ～られる to the verb base. To make the potential form of a Godan verb, use the "e" formative plus ～る. For polite potential form take the informal potential form, drop the final ～る and add ～ます:

Ichidan - Vowel Stem Verbs
見る [miru]	見られる* [mirareru]	見られます* [miraremasu]
出る [deru]	出られる [derareru]	出られます [deraremasu]

Godan - Consonant Stem Verbs
話す [hanasu]	話せる [hanaseru]	話せます [hanasemasu]
飛ぶ [tobu]	飛べる [toberu]	飛べます [tobemasu]
読む [yomu]	読める [yomeru]	読めます [yomemasu]
死ぬ [shinu]	死ねる [shineru]	死ねます [shinemasu]
聞く [kiku]	聞ける* [kikeru]	聞けます* [kikemasu]
泳ぐ [oyogu]	泳げる [oyogeru]	泳げます [oyogemasu]
待つ [matsu]	待てる [materu]	待てます [matemasu]
習う [narau]	習える [naraeru]	習えます [naraemasu]
座る [suwaru]	座れる [suwareru]	座れます [suwaremasu]

Henkaku - Irregular Verbs
する [suru]	出来る [dekiru]	出来ます [dekimasu]
来る [kuru]	来られる [korareru]	来られます [koraremasu]
行く [iku]	行ける [ikeru]	行けます [ikemasu]

見られる and 聞ける are used when a condition must be met by the viewer/listener:

1. 窓まどを開あけると富士山を見みられる。 If you open the window you can see Mt. Fuji.
2. スピーカーを修しゅう理りして、音おとを聞きけた。 I fixed the speaker, so I could hear sound.

見える and 聞こえる are used when no conditions required of the viewer/listener:

1. 晴はれると富ふ士じ山さんが見みえる。 On a clear day you can see Mount Fuji.
2. となりの部へ屋やから音おとが聞きこえた。 I could hear the sound from the next room.

The verb 分かる does not have a potential form as such. 分かれる means to divide, it's never used as the potential form of 分かる. Instead the phrase 理解できる would be a reasonable substitute.

1. 人じん生せいの意い味みが分わかる？ Do you understand the meaning of life?
2. そんなことが理り解かいできないだろう！ Surely such a thing can't be understood!

Potential form is only used on transitive verbs (verbs that act on a direct object). When using potential form the object particle traditionally changes from を to が. However using を with potential form, while considered non-standard is also widely used and emphasises the act rather than the object being acted upon. Alternatively the standard but more formal ～事が出来る construction also emphasises the act.

1. 日に本ほん語ごが話はなせますか？ Can you speak Japanese? (standard - emphasis on object)
2. 日に本ほん語ごを話はなせますか？ Can you speak Japanese? (not standard - emphasis on act)
3. 日に本ほん語ごを話はなす事ことができますか？ Can you speak Japanese? (standard - emphasis on act)