れる / られる【れる / られる (Potential)】

The potential form れる / られる expresses the ability to do something, equivalent to English "can" or "to be able to." It describes whether an action is possible – due to one's own skill, circumstances, or permission.

Formation

Godan (V5) verbs: Replace the final う-row kana with the corresponding え-row kana, then add る.

• かく書く → 書ける - よむ読む → 読める - はなす話す → 話せる - およぐ泳ぐ → 泳げる - かう買う → 買える - まつ待つ → 待てる Ichidan (V1) verbs: Remove る and add られる.
• たべる食べる → 食べられる - みる見る → 見られる - おきる起きる → 起きられる Irregular verbs:
• する → できる
  • くる来る → 来られる (こられる)

All potential forms conjugate as ichidan (る) verbs: 書ける → 書けます / 書けない / 書けた.

Particle usage

With potential verbs, the object particle を is often replaced by が.

Using を is also grammatically acceptable and common, especially when emphasizing the object or in longer sentences, but が is the more traditional choice with potential verbs.

ら抜き言葉 (ra-nuki)

In casual modern speech, られる for ichidan verbs is frequently shortened to れる by dropping the ら. This is called ら抜き言葉.

• 食べられる → 食べれる - 見られる → 見れる
  あさ朝はやく早くおきれない起きれない。

  I can't wake up early in the morning.
  This shortened form is extremely common in everyday conversation but is considered informal. In writing and polite speech, the full られる form is preferred.

Common uses

Ability or skill:

Circumstances allowing or preventing something:

Asking about possibility: