How to Say “Can Do” in Japanese | Mastering Potential Verbs（可能動詞）

Yes, many native speakers do, but avoid it in formal speech and writing!

• できる = “can do” anything (very general)
• Other potential verbs = specific action ability (e.g., 話せる = can speak)

Absolutely! Example: この国ではタクシーがすぐ呼べます。= You can call a taxi quickly in this country.

To say “I cannot do ~”, simply conjugate the potential verb into its negative form. Since potential verbs behave like る-verbs, the negative conjugation is straightforward:

• Plain Negative: Drop る, add ない (e.g., 話せる → 話せない, 食べられる → 食べられない, できる → できない)
• Polite Negative: Change ます to ません (e.g., 話せます → 話せません, 食べられます → 食べられません, できます → できません)

Yes, 「できる」 is versatile. You can often tell the meaning from the context and the particles used:

Potential of する (“can do”): Usually follows a noun representing an action or an object of action (often without a particle, or with が if emphasizing the ability).
Example:
運転ができます。(Unten ga dekimasu.) = I can do driving / I can drive.
日本語を話すことができます。(Nihongo o hanasu koto ga dekimasu.) = I can speak Japanese. (Uses the こと が できる pattern)

“To be completed/finished” or “to be made/appear”: Refers to something being ready, finished, or coming into existence. Often the subject (the thing being made or finished) is marked with が.
Example:
料理ができました。(Ryouri ga dekimashita.) = The food is ready / finished.
駅の前に新しいビルができました。(Eki no mae ni atarashii biru ga dekimashita.) = A new building has appeared / was completed in front of the station.

Both structures express ability or possibility, but they have slight differences in nuance and usage:

Potential Verb (V-れる/V-られる, V-せる/V-させる, etc.): This is a direct conjugation of the verb. It is often used for general ability or something that is possible to do. It sounds more natural and is more frequently used in everyday conversation for common abilities. Example: 私は漢字が読めます。(Watashi wa kanji ga yomemasu.) = I can read kanji. (General ability)

V-る こと が できる: This structure uses the nominalizer 「こと」 to turn the verb phrase into a noun phrase (“the act of V-ing”) and then states that this “thing” (the act) is possible or can be done. It can be used for general ability but is also often used for:

• Specific instances of possibility.
• Expressing ability learned through experience or permission.
• With verbs that don’t have a common potential form or to add emphasis.

Example: ここでタバコを吸うこと が できます。(Koko de tabako o suu koto ga dekimasu.) = You can smoke here. (Permission/possibility in a specific location) Example: 私は泳ぐこと が できます。(Watashi wa oyogu koto ga dekimasu.) = I can swim. (Can express general ability, similar to 泳げます, but can also emphasize having learned to swim). In many cases, they are interchangeable when expressing general ability, but potential verbs are usually more concise and common.