ことができる
🃏 Flashcard
ことができる
koto ga dekiru
Tap to reveal usage
can; able to
N4
Tap to test your recall · +10 XP
📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N4
Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences
Reading
koto ga dekiru
Post ID
50717
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
can; able to
📖 How to use it
Expresses ability or possibility, equivalent to 'can' or 'be able to'.
Attaches to
Attach to the dictionary (plain non-past) form of a verb. For verbs in the past or negative, use the plain form of the verb before こと.
This pattern turns a verb into a noun phrase (verb + こと) and then says that such an action is possible (できる). It is a very common and polite way to express ability or permission. For example, 日本語を話すことができます means 'I can speak Japanese.' It is more formal than the shorter potential form (e.g., 話せる), but it is perfectly natural in everyday conversation, especially when you want to be clear or polite.
私は泳ぐことができます。
Watashi wa oyogu koto ga dekimasu.
I can swim.
ここで写真を撮ることができますか。
Koko de shashin o toru koto ga dekimasu ka.
Can I take pictures here?
彼は漢字を読むことができません。
Kare wa kanji o yomu koto ga dekimasen.
He cannot read kanji.
Not potential form of verbs (e.g., 話せる, 食べられる)
Both mean 'can', but ことができる is more formal and often used in writing or polite speech. The potential form is shorter and more common in casual conversation. For example, 日本語が話せます is more direct than 日本語を話すことができます.
Register
Neutral to polite; used in both spoken and written Japanese, but slightly more formal than the potential form.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
ことができる
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat ことができる three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
Flip Before Reading
Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.
Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using ことができる. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
Spaced Review
Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.
🔗 More JLPT N4 Patterns
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern ことができる mean?
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Can; able to
What JLPT level is ことができる?
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Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N4 — Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use ことができる in a sentence?
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Attach ことができる (koto ga dekiru) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.
Is ことができる formal or casual Japanese?
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ことができる is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.
How can I remember ことができる long-term?
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Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.