〜ことができる vs 〜られる: Two Ways to Say 'Can' in Japanese

The core difference

Both express ability, but they differ on two things at once — how they attach to the verb, and how formal they feel:

The grammar rule is simple: ことができる keeps the verb whole and adds ことができる after the dictionary form, while the potential form conjugates the verb into a new shape. The meaning is the same — the choice is about tone and length, not about what you can or can't do.

See it in one situation

Same pool, same ability, two ways to report it:

The first suits a written profile or a careful announcement. The second is what モチ would actually say out loud at the pool.

〜ことができる — the longer, formal "can"

Use 〜ことができる by attaching it straight to the dictionary form of any verb. Because it's fuller, it reads well in writing, notices, and formal speech — and it's handy early on, since you only need the dictionary form plus one fixed pattern rather than a table of potential endings.

The irregular verbs cause no trouble here, because the verb never changes: する → することができる, 来る → 来ることができる. That regularity is part of why beginners lean on it.

Full details: 〜ことができる guide.

可能形（〜られる）— the short, everyday "can"

Use the potential form when you want the natural, spoken feel — it's what Japanese speakers reach for most. The endings depend on the verb group: u-verbs shift the final sound to the -e row and add る (話す → 話せる, 泳ぐ → 泳げる, 飲む → 飲める); ru-verbs swap る for られる (食べる → 食べられる, 見る → 見られる); and the irregulars are する → できる and 来る → こられる.

In casual speech, ru-verb potentials often drop the ら — 見られる → 見れる, 食べられる → 食べれる. This ら抜き言葉 is everywhere in conversation but is still avoided in formal writing and marked wrong on some tests, so keep the ら for the exam.

Full details: 可能形（〜られる）guide.

A useful contrast: which to reach for

• Speaking casually? Use the potential form — 泳げる, 話せる, 食べられる. ことができる can sound heavy in quick conversation.
• Writing, signs, or formal speech? Either works, but 〜ことができる gives a fuller, more measured tone.
• Want emphasis or contrast? ことができる can spotlight the ability ("it is possible to…"), which is why you meet it in rules and instructions.

So both are correct almost everywhere; the potential form is simply the shorter, default spoken option, and ことができる is the longer, slightly more formal alternative.

Common mistakes

1. Combining both at once. Say 泳げる or 泳ぐことができる, never 泳げることができる. Pick one path — reshape the verb, or keep it whole and add ことができる.
2. Putting a potential verb before ことができる. ことができる needs the plain dictionary form: 食べることができる, not 食べられることができる.
3. Forgetting the irregulars in the potential column. する becomes できる (not すられる), and 来る becomes こられる (not きられる).
4. Using ら抜き in formal writing. 見れる/食べれる are fine in chat but drop marks on exams — write 見られる/食べられる.

Quick recap

• 〜ことができる = dictionary form + ことができる → longer, slightly formal/written.
• 可能形（潜在形） = reshape the verb (話せる, 泳げる, 食べられる) → shorter, dominant in speech.
• Same core meaning; register and length are what differ.
• Irregulars: する → できる, 来る → こられる; ru-verbs 見る → 見られる (casual 見れる = ら抜き).
• Never stack them: choose one, not 泳げることができる.

Your turn

Browse all practice →