The conjugated form that allows the verb to express ability.
16
votes
1answer
337 views
Why doesn't 分かる have a potential form?
This question may be related to What does で分かる mean? (Cf. Tsuyoshi Ito and my comments to my answer).
(Regular) verbs can be turned into the potential form by attaching -((ra)r)e-:
tabe-ru vs. ...
11
votes
4answers
300 views
“Unsolvable problem”
What is the correct construction of "unsolvable problem"? Is it "解{と}けられない問題{もんだい}"？(Question 1)
Plain(intransitive): 解{と}ける "To be solved".
Potential form(of intransitive): 解けられる "can be ...
8
votes
2answers
287 views
Transitive/Intransitive + にくい (and +られる)
This question is based on the discussion arising from "Unsolvable Problem"
Start of Excerpt
Relevant discourse extracted from "Unsolvable Problem":
Quoted from Derek Schaab's reply to ...
8
votes
2answers
555 views
How to differentiate ～られる conjugation between passive form and potential form?
For verbs of group 2, whose ～ます form is formed by dropping the ending ～る from the plain form, both the passive and potential forms have the same conjugation: ～られる. Example:
食べられる
1. to be eaten
...
8
votes
1answer
366 views
How to construct potential form for adjectives
I could not help but notice that adjectives cannot directly conjugate to have a potential form:
E.g. 赤い does not become 赤られる for (can be red)
(Question) Which of the below are acceptable forms ...
7
votes
1answer
340 views
What is the difference between 見える／聞こえる and 見られる／聞ける?
In Japanese, there is a potential form to express that it's possible for something to be done.
My own examples of potential form:
辛【から】い食【た】べ物【もの】が食【た】べられる。 (I can eat spicy foods.)
...
6
votes
1answer
138 views
What is going on with 書けている? What is Potential Form+ている?
I'm having difficulty in understanding 書けている (initially observed from an answer to "パソコンが 得意だ/わかる/上手だ"). Also observed from SPACEALC:
この小説は上手に書けている。
最もよく書けている記事。
...
5
votes
4answers
250 views
What's the most appropriate negative potential form for this situation?
This morning my co-worker asked me if I wanted some coffee. I said, "No thanks, I can't drink coffee because it upsets my stomach." I was thinking of how I'd say this in Japanese, but I'm not sure ...
4
votes
1answer
194 views
two levels for teiru and rare
What would be the interpretation of verbs that have two levels of 'teiru' and 'rare' in them? I figure that the 'teiru' will be one for stative/perfective and the other for progressive, and the 'rare' ...
3
votes
1answer
74 views
uses of できる apart from potential?
The following is a JLPT N4 question:
旅行の荷物はもう___できました.
１。 やくそく ２。りよう ３。せわ ４。ようい
I don't really understand the meaning of the sentence.
Is it "I was already able to do the preperations for the ...
3
votes
1answer
160 views
Dictionary entry and derived forms, were they equal at some point?
I will first state the dictionary entry, and then other formations that also yield the dictionary entry.
Consider the following :
思える - to seem/appear,
potential form of 思う - can think
合わせる - ...
3
votes
1answer
103 views
In what cases do I use 見られる with を? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
The difference between が and を with the potential form of a verb.
I know the difference between 見る, 見られる, and 見える. I know that 見える and 見られる are verbs expressing a ...
2
votes
2answers
191 views
Is it always ができる？
So I'm studying and I ran into an example that stated to go from a (noun)suru to (noun)dekiru is this:
私は車を運転する －＞ 私は車の運転ができる。
Why isn't 私は車を運転できる。
1
vote
2answers
180 views
もらえる, 見える rules
From what I learned,
もらえる = もらうことが出来る
'can be got'
見える = 見ることが出来る
'can be seen'
This looks like there is some kind of a more general rule for this transformation.
If there is a ...
1
vote
1answer
184 views
expressing casual potential for adjectives
This is a follow up to How to construct potential form for adjectives
I'd like to know how to say "can be x" where x is an adjective, in a casual way. For example with a friend, this seems a little ...
