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Auxiliary Verb (Group 1)
| An auxiliary verb which indicates potential. | Be able to do something; can do something; be –able; ~ can be done |
| 【Related Expression: 聞こえる; ことが出来る; 見える】 |
(ksa). 私は日本語が読める・読めます。
I can read Japanese.
(ksb). この水は飲めない・飲めません。
This water is not drinkable.
| (i)Group 1 verbs | Vconditionalる | |
| 話せる | Can talk | |
| (ii)Group 2 verbs | Vstemられる | |
| 食べられる | Can eat | |
| (iii)Irregular verbs | 来る→来られる | Can come |
| する→出来る | Can do |
(a). ブラウンさんは刺身が食べられる。
Mr. Brown can eat sashimi.
(b). 寺田さんはテニスが出来る。
Mr. Terada can play tennis.
(c). この字は読めない。
This letter is not readable.
1. In potential expressions, if there is an experiencer, that noun phrase is usually marked by は and the object of the action by either が or を.
(⇨ は~が) Compare (1a) and (1b).
(1)
2. In general, the choice between が and を seems to depend on the degree of volition expressed in the action the experiencer takes. That is, if his volition is high, を is preferable. Thus, in the following sentences, が is unnatural.
3. 出来る 'can do', however, always requires the object of an action to be marked by が, as in Example (b). Another example follows:
4. The spatial を (i.e., を2) and the detachment を (i.e., を3) do not change into が in potential expressions.
5. If the experiencer is clear from the context and/or the situation, or if the experiencer is a person in general, he is usually omitted and the object of the action is presented as a topic marked by は, as in Key Sentence (B) and Example (c).
6. Non-volitional verbs like 分かる 'understand, be understandable'; 要る 'need, be necessary'; ある 'exist'; 開く 'open (verb, intransitive)' and 腐る 'rot (verb, intransitive)' do not have potential forms.
7. The potential forms of 見る 'see' (見られる) and 聞く 'hear' (聞ける) are similar to the verbs 見える 'be visible' and 聞こえる 'be audible', respectively, but their uses are different.
8. The idea of potentiality can also be expressed by Verb informal nonpastことが出来る.
(⇨ ことが出来る)
9. Potential verbs are all Group 2 verbs. The basic conjugations are as follows:
(6)
| 話せる | can talk |
| 話せない | cannot talk |
| 話せて | can talk and, (て form) |
| 話せた | could talk |
10. There is another potential form for Group 2 verbs.
(7)
| Group 2 Verbs: | Verb stem | れる |
| 食べる→ | 食べれる |
This form, however, is used only in informal conversation.