〜ことができる: How to Say 'Can' / 'Be Able To'
The ability it expresses
〜ことができる says that something is possible for you — "can do" or "be able to." The verb できる literally means "to be possible/able," and slipping こと ("the act of…") in front of it turns a whole action into something within your power. It's clear, polite, and works in any situation, which is exactly why it's the first "can" that N5 learners meet. There is a shorter alternative — the potential form — that we'll weigh up at the end.
ヤッタンは日本語を話すことができる。
ヤッタンは にほんごを はなす ことが できる。
Yattan can speak Japanese.
モチはピアノを弾くことができます。
モチは ピアノを ひく ことが できます。
Mochi can play the piano.
ことができます is the polite form.
先生は車を運転することができる。
せんせいは くるまを うんてんする ことが できる。
The teacher can drive a car.
Verb + こと, or a noun on its own
The pattern comes in two shapes depending on what you can do. If it's an action, keep the verb in its dictionary form and add ことができる. If it's already a noun (especially a する-type word like 料理, 運転, テニス), you don't need こと at all — just mark it with が and add できる:
| Type | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb (plain) | dictionary verb + ことができる | 泳ぐことができる (can swim) |
| Verb (polite) | dictionary verb + ことができます | 泳ぐことができます |
| Verb (negative) | dictionary verb + ことができない / できません | 泳ぐことができない (can't swim) |
| Noun | noun + ができる / ができます | 水泳ができる (can swim / can do swimming) |
The one thing to guard for the verb pattern: the verb stays in its dictionary form before こと — you never conjugate it in that slot. And for the noun pattern, the noun takes が, not を:
ヤッタンの弟は料理ができる。
ヤッタンの おとうとは りょうりが できる。
Yattan's little brother can cook.
料理 (cooking) is a noun, so こと is dropped.
モチは運転ができますか。
モチは うんてんが できますか。
Can Mochi drive?
Notice that 料理ができる and 料理をすることができる mean the same thing — the noun version is just shorter.
Turning it polite, turning it negative
Both endings hang off the できる: change it to できます to be polite, and to できない (plain) or できません (polite) to say you can't. Use just one negative ending — there's no doubling up:
ヤッタンは漢字を読むことができません。
ヤッタンは かんじを よむ ことが できません。
Yattan can't read kanji.
モチは納豆を食べることができない。
モチは なっとうを たべる ことが できない。
Mochi can't eat natto.
Or just use 話せる: the potential form
Japanese has a second, very common way to say "can": the potential form of the verb itself. 話す ("to speak") becomes 話せる ("can speak"), 食べる becomes 食べられる, and so on. So 日本語を話すことができる and 日本語が話せる land on essentially the same meaning. The potential form is shorter and a little more casual in everyday conversation, while ことができる sounds a touch more formal and is easy to build straight from the dictionary form. Both are correct — most learners start with ことができる and pick up the potential form once the conjugations feel natural.
The short version
- Verb: dictionary form + ことができる = can / be able to do.
- Noun: noun + ができる (drop こと): 運転ができる.
- Polite: ことができます; negative: ことができない / できません.
- The shorter potential form (話せる) means the same thing and is a bit more casual.
Practice it
Choose the correct way to say 'can' with ことができる / ができる.
＿＿＿に入れるのに最もよいものを選びなさい。
Choose the grammar pattern that best completes the sentence.
＿＿＿ができます。
Frequently asked questions
When do I use ことができる and when do I use ができる?
Use the verb pattern (dictionary verb + ことができる) when the thing you can do is an action: 泳ぐことができる. Use noun + ができる when it's already a noun: 水泳ができる. Both can be the same idea.
What form does the verb take before こと?
Always the dictionary (plain present) form: 食べることができる, 行くことができる. You never conjugate the verb in that slot.
How do I say 'can't' with this pattern?
Change できる to できない (plain) or できません (polite): 漢字を読むことができません ('can't read kanji').
Is ことができる the same as the potential form like 話せる?
Yes, they mean the same thing. 日本語を話すことができる and 日本語が話せる both mean 'can speak Japanese.' The potential form is shorter and a bit more casual; ことができる is slightly more formal.
Where 〜ことができる fits
Shaky on this? Get these solid first
- 〜こと · N4 — こと turns a verb or clause into a noun: 話すことは難しい ('speaking is hard'). Learn the formation, こと vs の, and frames like 〜ことがある, 〜ことにする, and 〜ことになる.
- Potential Form · N4 — The potential form means 'can / be able to': 食べる→食べられる, 書く→書ける, する→できる. Learn how to form it by verb group, the が particle shift, and ら-抜き.
Don't confuse it with
- Potential Form · N4 — The potential form means 'can / be able to': 食べる→食べられる, 書く→書ける, する→できる. Learn how to form it by verb group, the が particle shift, and ら-抜き.
- 〜たい · N5 — 〜たい attaches to a verb stem to say what you want to do. Learn the formation, why it conjugates like an i-adjective, the が/を switch, how to talk about other people's wants (たがる), and see 12 examples.
More N5 grammar to explore
Keep going with related patterns at the same level:
- 〜に行く — 〜に行く/来る/帰る says you go, come, or return somewhere to do something. Learn the ます-stem + に pattern, suru-nouns like 買い物に行く, and how to mark the place.
- を — を marks the direct object of a verb (パンを食べる), the path you move along (道を歩く), and the place you leave (家を出る). Learn all three uses with examples.
- 〜ように — 〜ように means 'so that ~' — an aim you can't fully control: 忘れないようにメモする. Learn the formation with potential and negative verbs, and how it differs from 〜ために.
- まだ — まだ means 'still' with a positive verb and 'not yet' with 〜ていない. Learn both uses, the one-word answer, and how まだ differs from もう.
- もう — もう means 'already' with a positive verb (もう食べた), 'not anymore' with a negative (もう食べない), and 'one more' with numbers (もう一杯). Pairs with まだ.
- 〜ている — 〜ている has two big jobs: an ongoing action ('is doing') and a continuing state ('is in a state'). Learn when it means which, how to form it, and see clear examples.