～が Verb られる (〜ga Verb rareru)

Explanation

Expresses potential or ability to do something; 'can', 'able to'.

Formation

❶ (Group 1) Verb: 書く → 書ける / 飲む → 飲める, etc. ❷ (Group 2) Verb-ます stem + られる (食べる→食べられる、見る→見られる)

Detailed explanation

The ～が Verb られる grammar pattern generally refers to the potential form of Japanese verbs (i.e., 'can do something'). However, the exact formation depends on the verb group. For most Group 1 (五段) verbs, potential form changes the final -u to -eru (e.g., 書く→書ける). For Group 2 (一段) verbs, you often see ～られる (e.g., 食べる→食べられる). In English, it translates as 'can' or 'able to'.

Examples

Practice