{"id":62650,"date":"2019-07-17T17:09:00","date_gmt":"2019-07-17T08:09:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cotoacademy.com\/how-to-express-ability-in-japanese-what-is-can-cannot-do-in-japanese\/"},"modified":"2019-07-17T17:09:00","modified_gmt":"2019-07-17T08:09:00","slug":"how-to-express-ability-in-japanese-what-is-can-cannot-do-in-japanese","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cotoacademy.com\/ja\/how-to-express-ability-in-japanese-what-is-can-cannot-do-in-japanese\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Say “I Can” or “Cannot” in Japanese – Expressing Ability to Do Something"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Click Here to join our 30 day challenge to learn Hiragana <\/a><\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n

How to Express Ability to do Something in Japanese<\/h2>\n

1. Using the Sentence Pattern: V+\u3053\u3068\u304c\u3067\u304d\u307e\u3059<\/strong><\/h3>\n

This structure is one of the most straightforward ways to express ability. It consists of three parts:<\/p>\n

V + \u3053\u3068<\/strong>
The first part, V+\u3053\u3068<\/strong>, involves nominalizing the verb. If the verb is intransitive, like \u6cf3(\u304a\u3088)\u3050 (oyogu<\/em>, swim), you simply add “\u3053\u3068” to the plain form of the verb to turn it into a noun.
Example:<\/strong> \u6cf3\u3050\u3053\u3068 (to swim)<\/p>\n

When expressing something that you can or cannot do in Japanese, you may use the following pattern:<\/p>\n

V+\u3053\u3068\u304c\u3067\u304d\u307e\u3059<\/strong>
(Verb +\u00a0koto ga dekimasu)<\/strong>
“can do (something)\u2026.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Japanese
Japanese Sentence Pattern<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

V+\u3053\u3068<\/h3>\n

For transitive verbs (verbs that take an object), you need to place the object with the particle \u3092<\/em> before the verb and then add “\u3053\u3068” at the end.
Example: \u7d75(\u3048)\u3092\u63cf(\u304b)\u304f e o kaku<\/em>, to draw a picture.
\u2192 \u7d75\u3092\u63cf\u304f\u3053\u3068 (the act of drawing a picture)<\/p>\n

\u304c (Particle)<\/strong>
The particle \u304c<\/em> here acts as a subtopic marker for the nominalized verb (V+\u3053\u3068). It’s used to indicate the ability to perform the specific action mentioned.<\/p>\n

The particle \u201c\u304c \u201d acts as a subtopic marker in the sentence. In this case, the subtopic is the nominalized action V+\u3053\u3068. Click here to learn more about this paticle<\/a><\/p>\n

\u3067\u304d\u307e\u3059 (Verb)<\/strong>
The verb \u3067\u304d\u307e\u3059<\/em> means “can” in Japanese. Its plain form is \u3067\u304d\u308b<\/em>. If you want to express inability, change \u3067\u304d\u307e\u3059<\/em> to its negative form: \u3067\u304d\u307e\u305b\u3093<\/em> (cannot).<\/p>\n

Complete example sentence<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u79c1(\u308f\u305f\u3057)\u306f\u30d5\u30e9\u30f3\u30b9\u8a9e(\u3054)\u3092\u8a71(\u306f\u306a)\u3059\u3053\u3068\u304c\u3067\u304d\u307e\u3059\u3002
Watashi wa furansugoohanasukoto ga dekimasu
I can speak French.<\/p>\n

\u9234\u6728(\u3059\u305a\u304d)\u3055\u3093\u306f\u8d70(hashiru)\u308b\u3053\u3068\u304c\u3067\u304d\u307e\u305b\u3093\u3002
Suzukisan wa hashirukoto ga dekimasen
Suzuki cannot run.<\/p>\n

Asking & Answering to a Question With \u3067\u304d\u308b<\/h2>\n

When asking others whether he\/she can do something, simply add \u201c\u304b\u201d at the back of the sentence
When you are asked a can\/cannot question, simple ways to answer are: \u306f\u3044\u3001\u3067\u304d\u307e\u3059 (Yes, I can) or \u3044\u3044\u3048\u3001\u3067\u304d\u307e\u305b\u3093(No, I cannot)<\/p>\n

Example sentences:<\/h3>\n

\u30ad\u30e0\u3055\u3093\u306f\u5f01\u5f53(\u3079\u3093\u3068\u3046)\u3092\u4f5c(\u3064\u304f)\u308b\u3053\u3068\u304c\u3067\u304d\u307e\u3059\u304b\u3002
Kimusan wa bentou o tsukurukoto ga dekimasuka
Kim, can you make bentos?<\/p>\n

\u306f\u3044\u3001\u3067\u304d\u307e\u3059\u3002
Hai, dekimasu
Yes, I can.<\/p>\n

\u30da\u30f3\u30ae\u30f3\u306f\u98db(\u3068)\u3076\u3053\u3068\u304c\u3067\u304d\u307e\u3059\u304b\u3002
Pengin wa tobukuto ga dekimasuk
Can penguins fly?<\/p>\n

\u3044\u3044\u3048\u3001\u3067\u304d\u307e\u305b\u3093\u3002
Iie, Dekimasen
No, they can\u2019t.<\/p>\n

Using Potential Japanese Verbs<\/h2>\n

Another way to express can or cannot do something is by using potential verbs.<\/p>\n

Potential Verb Transformation Rule<\/strong><\/p>\n

Group 1: Change the final vowel to the one on the \u201c\u3048 column\u201d of the same role then add \u201c\u308b\u201d to the back.<\/h5>\n
Group 2: Remove \u201c\u308b\u201d at the back and add \u201c\u3089\u308c\u308b\u201d (“\u3089” is sometimes omitted in oral Japanese)<\/h5>\n
Group 3: \u3059\u308b \u2015\u3067\u304d\u308b \u6765\u308b\u30fc\u6765(\u3053)\u3089\u308c\u308b<\/h5>\n
\"Japanese
Japanese Potential Verbs<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Example Sentences<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u30b3\u30f3\u30d3\u30cb\u3067ATM \u304c\u4f7f(\u3064\u304b)\u3048\u307e\u3059.
Conbini dewa ATM ga tsukaemasu
ATM can be used at a convenience store.<\/p>\n

\u30ec\u30b9\u30c8\u30e9\u30f3\u3067\u304a\u3044\u3057\u3044\u6599\u7406(\u308a\u3087\u3046\u308a)\u304c\u98df(\u305f)\u3079\u3089\u308c\u307e\u3059.
Resutoran de oishiiryouri ga taberaremasu
You can have delicious food at a restaurant.<\/p>\n

\u79c1(\u308f\u305f\u3057)\u306f\u5bb6(\u3044\u3048)\u3067\u52c9\u5f37(\u3079\u3093\u304d\u3087\u3046)\u3067\u304d\u307e\u305b\u3093.
Watashi wa iede benkyoudekimasen
I can\u2019t study at home.<\/p>\n

Now that you have learned the 2 ways of expressing ability in\u00a0 Japanese. What about asking the 5W1H questions in Japanese<\/a>?<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

If you are interested in studying Japanese in Tokyo, find out more about our school by filling out the form below.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t