Learning objectives
- Lesson goals: Learn the basic usage of できます for expressing ability and possibility.
- Form and connection: [Noun] が できます
- Nuance in real use: できます is the key to new worlds. Each time you say "日本語ができます", you cross a threshold of linguistic capability.
Form and connection
Core Explanation
Learn the basic usage of できます for expressing ability and possibility.
Cultural Note
Practical examples
Common pitfalls
Build the base form before adding the pattern
Complete the required conjugation first. Do not keep polite and plain endings at the same time.
Match politeness to the situation
The examples are reliable starting points; relationships and context can still change the most natural wording.
Practice and answers
Show answer
[Noun] が できますShow answer
Can you speak English?Show answer
ここで写真しゃしんを撮とることができますか。 ([Noun] が できます)Continue learning
Agemasu and Moraimasu: Giving and Receiving Objects
Learn the basic patterns for giving (あげます) and receiving (もらいます) physical objects. This lesson combines form, context, examples, common mistakes, and practice so you can use the pattern in real communication.
Mae Ni: Before Doing
Learn to express "before doing" with 前に. Note: the verb before 前 is always in dictionary form. This lesson combines form, context, examples, common mistakes, and practice so you can use the pattern in real communication.
Complete Guide to Plain Forms: Linking Ideas, Quotations, and Judgments
Learn the plain forms of nouns, adjectives, and verbs and use them to modify nouns, quote speech, express time and reasons, state plans, make judgments, and build indirect questions.