Meaning & Usage
โจ Basic Meaning
To be able to do; Can do; It is possible to do.
๐ฏ Primary Function
To express capability (ability) or potentiality (possibility).
๐ Grammar Structure
Verb (Plain/Dictionary Form) + ใใจใใงใใ (koto ga dekiru)
N/A (This pattern attaches to the plain form of a verb.)
N/A (This pattern attaches to the plain form of a verb.)
Verb (Plain/Dictionary Form) + ใใจใใงใใชใ (koto ga dekinai)
๐ญ Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Used by conjugating ใงใใ to its polite form, ใงใใพใ (e.g., ใใจใใงใใพใ). Very common in reports and formal explanations.
Informal Situations
Used with the plain form, ใงใใ (e.g., ใใจใใงใใ). Common in daily conversation.
Written Language
Frequently used in instructions, regulations, explanatory texts, and academic writing to state what is possible or permissible.
Spoken Language
Highly common, especially in formal settings or when clearly stating a general possibility. The potential form (ๅฏ่ฝๅฝข) is often preferred for simple personal abilities.
๐ก Common Applications
Expressing Personal Ability
Used to state a person’s capability or skill. This is the primary function, often interchangeable with the potential form.
Example: ็งใฏๆผขๅญใ่ชญใใใจใใงใใใ (Watashi wa kanji o yomu koto ga dekiru.)
Indicating General Possibility/Feasibility
Used to state that an action or outcome is generally possible or feasible under certain circumstances.
Example: ใใฎ้ใ้ใฃใฆ้ง
ใซ่กใใใจใใงใใใ (Kono michi o tลtte eki ni iku koto ga dekiru.)
Referring to Permission or Authorization
Used to clarify what actions are permitted or allowed in a specific location or situation (though the structure ~ใฆใใใ is more common for asking permission).
Example: ็พ่ก้คจใฎไธญใงใฏใ้ฃฒ้ฃใใใใใจใใงใใใ (Bijutsukan no naka de wa, inshoku o suru koto ga dekiru.)
Frequency
Very frequent in both speaking and writing.
Difficulty
N4 Level (Essential Intermediate)
Tag:
Example Sentences
Example #1
็งใฏๆฅๆฌ่ชใ่ฉฑใใใจใใงใใใ
Furigana: ใใใใฏใซใปใใใใฏใชใใใจใใงใใใ
Romaji: Watashi wa Nihongo o hanasu koto ga dekiru.
English: I can speak Japanese.
Example #2
ใใใงๅ็ใๆฎใใใจใใงใใใ
Furigana: ใใใงใใใใใใจใใใจใใงใใใ
Romaji: Koko de shashin o toru koto ga dekiru.
English: You can take pictures here.
Example #3
ๅฝผๅฅณใฏ้ใ่ตฐใใใจใใงใใใ
Furigana: ใใฎใใใฏใฏใใใฏใใใใจใใงใใใ
Romaji: Kanojo wa hayaku hashiru koto ga dekiru.
English: She can run fast.
Example #4
ๅฐใใๅญไพใงใใใใฎใฒใผใ ใ็่งฃใใใใจใใงใใใ
Furigana: ใกใใใใใฉใใงใใใใฎใฒใผใ ใใใใใใใใจใใงใใใ
Romaji: Chiisai kodomo demo, kono gฤmu o rikai suru koto ga dekiru.
English: Even small children can understand this game.
Example #5
ใคใณใฟใผใใใใงไฝใงใ่ชฟในใใใจใใงใใใ
Furigana: ใคใณใฟใผใใใใงใชใใงใใใในใใใจใใงใใใ
Romaji: Intฤnetto de nan demo shiraberu koto ga dekiru.
English: You can look up anything on the internet.
Example #6
ๆฅ้ฑใพใงใซๅฎฟ้กใ็ตใใใใใใจใใงใใใ ใใใใ
Furigana: ใใใใ
ใใพใงใซใใ
ใใ ใใใใใใใใใจใใงใใใ ใใใใ
Romaji: Raishลซ made ni shukudai o owaraseru koto ga dekiru darล ka.
English: Will I be able to finish the homework by next week?
Example #7
ๅฝผใฏใใขใใๅผพใใใจใใงใใชใใ
Furigana: ใใใฏใใขใใใฒใใใจใใงใใชใใ
Romaji: Kare wa piano o hiku koto ga dekinai.
English: He cannot play the piano.
Example #8
ๆฅใใฐใใพใ ๆ็ต้ป่ปใซ้ใซๅใใใจใใงใใใ
Furigana: ใใใใฐใใพใ ใใใใ
ใใงใใใใซใพใซใใใใจใใงใใใ
Romaji: Isogeba, mada saishลซ densha ni้ใซๅใ koto ga dekiru.
English: If we hurry, we can still catch the last train.
Example #9
ๅฅๅบทใฎใใใซใฏใๆฏๆฅ้ๅใใใใจใใงใใใ
Furigana: ใใใใใฎใใใซใฏใใพใใซใกใใใฉใใใใใจใใงใใใ
Romaji: Kenkล no tame ni wa, mainichi undล suru koto ga dekiru.
English: For the sake of health, it is possible to exercise every day.
Example #10
ใใฎใขใใชใไฝฟใใฐใ็กๆใง่ฑไผ่ฉฑใๅๅผทใใใใจใใงใใใ
Furigana: ใใฎใขใใชใใคใใใฐใใใใใใงใใใใใใในใใใใใใใใจใใงใใใ
Romaji: Kono apuri o tsukaeba, muryล de eikaiwa o benkyล suru koto ga dekiru.
English: If you use this app, you can study English conversation for free.
Notes & Nuances
๐ Important Points
Must use the Dictionary Form (Plain Form)
The verb immediately preceding ใใจ must be in its plain, non-past dictionary form.
Example: ๆณณใใใจใใงใใใ (Oyogu koto ga dekiru.)
Comparison with Potential Form (ๅฏ่ฝๅฝข)
While ‘ใใจใใงใใ’ is always correct, the simple potential form (ๅฏ่ฝๅฝข, e.g., ่ชญใใ, ่ฉฑใใ) is much more common in casual conversation, especially for natural, innate personal abilities. Use ‘ใใจใใงใใ’ for clarity or generalized possibility.
Example: ๆฅๆฌ่ชใ่ฉฑใใใจใใงใใใ / ๆผขๅญใ่ชญใใใ
Preference for Possibility/Rules
This structure is often preferred over the potential form when the subject is not a person or when expressing possibility or permission granted by circumstances, systems, or rules.
Example: ๆฏๆฅ้ๅใใใใจใใงใใใ
โ ๏ธ Common Mistakes
โ ้ฃใน + ใใใจใใงใใ
โ
้ฃในใ + ใใจใใงใใ
Learners sometimes forget to use the plain/dictionary form of the verb before ใใจ. For verbs like ้ฃในใ (taberu), the stem should not be used.
โ ็งใฏ่ปใ้่ปขใใใใจใใงใใใ
โ
็งใฏ่ปใ้่ปขใใใใจใใงใใใ
The object particle must be ‘ใ’ when the verb takes a direct object, but learners often mistakenly use ‘ใ’ because ใงใใ uses ‘ใ’. The particle ‘ใ’ is correct here. (Note: Using ใ instead of ใ before ใงใใ is a complex nuance, but for N4, ใ is usually taught as standard before the potential verb).
โ ็งใฏๆณณใใใจใใงใใพใใใ
โ
็งใฏๆณณใใใ / ็งใฏๆณณใใใจใใงใใใ
Mixing the two structures is incorrect. Either use the full ‘ใใจใใงใใ’ structure or the simple potential form ‘ๅฏ่ฝๅฝข’.
๐๏ธ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Neutral to Polite. The politeness is conveyed through the conjugation of ใงใใ (ใงใใพใ for polite). The structure itself is standard.
Social Situations: Appropriate in all social settings. When addressing someone of higher status, ensure the polite form ใใจใใงใใพใ is used.
Regional Variations: Standard Japanese grammar; no significant regional variations in the structure itself.
๐ Subtle Differences
Vใ ใใจใใงใใ vs. V(Potential Form)
Potential form (e.g., ่ชญใใ) is simpler, shorter, and primarily used for personal ability. ใใจใใงใใ is longer and often preferred when the ability is complex, or when expressing general possibility or permission.
When to use: Use Vใ ใใจใใงใใ for formal contexts, complex skills, or emphasizing general feasibility. Use V(Potential Form) for quick, casual statements of personal ability.
Vใ ใใจใใงใใ vs. Vใ ใฎใๅฏ่ฝใ
ใฎใๅฏ่ฝใ (no ga kanล da) is more formal and literal, meaning ‘the act of V-ing is possible.’ It’s often reserved for very technical or written context. ใใจใใงใใ is more conversational.
When to use: Use ใใใจใใงใใ in almost all practical situations. Reserve ใฎใๅฏ่ฝใ for highly formal written documents.
๐ Conjugation Notes
The structure treats the verb phrase (Verb + ใใจ) as a nominal phrase (a noun), which is why it is followed by the verb ใงใใ (to be able to), marked by the particle ใ. The verb ใงใใ is a Group 2 verb (Ichidan verb) and conjugates regularly: ใงใใพใ (polite), ใงใใชใ (negative), ใงใใพใใ (past), etc.
๐ Pronunciation Tips
Ensure the ‘ga’ particle is clearly pronounced between ใใจ (koto) and ใงใใ (dekiru). The ‘koto ga’ sequence should flow smoothly.
๐ง Memory Tips
Think of ‘koto’ (ไบ) as turning the action into a concept or ‘matter,’ and ‘dekiru’ (ใงใใ) as ‘it is possible.’ Thus, ‘the matter of doing X is possible.’ (Xใใใไบใใงใใ).
Other Grammar
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