A2: Express ability with potential forms

A2 Course

できることを伝える

Elementary
~45 min

I can say what I am able or unable to do.

Can-do goal

I can say what I am able or unable to do.

Potential verbs express ability: 話す→話せる, 食べる→食べられる, する→できる. The ability target often takes が.

A：日本語が話せますか。
B：少し話せますが、漢字はあまり読めません。

Build: I can speak a little Japanese. Then adapt it with your own information and say it aloud.

Open the kana only when you need help reading the lesson's core Japanese.

Model dialogue Show kana

A：にほんごがはなせますか。 B：すこしはなせますが、かんじはあまりよめません。

Target sentence Show kana

にほんごがすこしはなせます。

Meaning: State what someone can or cannot do.

Build it: 話す→話せる; 読む→読める; 食べる→食べられる; する→できる

When to use it: The ability target commonly takes が, though を also occurs in modern usage.

日本語が少し話せます。

Reading help · よみかた

にほんごがすこしはなせます。

I can speak a little Japanese.

Watch out: Do not attach できます directly to a dictionary-form verb.