How to Say "I Can" in Japanese: Expressing Ability (...koto ga dekimasu)
Hello and welcome to the adventures of Phase 4! Up until now, you've learned to express your will and interact with others. From this moment on, your Japanese will become more colorful and comprehensive.
By slightly transforming verbs, you will learn to express what you "can" and "cannot" do. Let's take the first step and master a very convenient expression to talk about your abilities!
🎯 Lesson Goal
Learn to explain your abilities and what is possible using the structure
(Dictionary Form) + ことができます (koto ga dekimasu)!
Step 1 Discover
Let's look at how this is used in a real conversation. Let's see what Kenji and Yuki are talking about.
ケンジさんは、車の運転をすることができますか？
(Kenji-san wa, kuruma no unten o suru koto ga dekimasu ka?)
はい、できます。でも、まだ上手ではありません。
(Hai, dekimasu. Demo, mada jouzu dewa arimasen.)
Did you notice?
Yuki uses "suru koto ga dekimasu ka" to ask if Kenji has the ability to drive. Kenji replies simply with "dekimasu" (I can) instead of repeating the whole sentence.
Step 2 The Pattern
Here is the magic phrase to express your abilities or possibilities.
Basic Chunk
ことができます。
( koto ga dekimasu.)
🔑 Key Point: What is the 'Dictionary Form'?
'Dictionary form (jisho-kei)', as the name suggests, is the basic form of a verb as it appears in the dictionary. For example, the dictionary form of '行きます (ikimasu)' is '行く (iku)', and '食べます (tabemasu)' is '食べる (taberu)'.
🌟 Pro Tip: Translating "Can"
By simply attaching ことができます (koto ga dekimasu) right after a dictionary form verb, it perfectly translates to "I can..." or "I am able to...".
Step 3 Pattern Practice
Keep the chunk exactly the same, but swap the verbs. Read these out loud!
-
To Swim 泳ぐ (oyogu)
私は 泳ぐ ことができます。
(Watashi wa oyogu koto ga dekimasu.)
-
To Read Kanji 漢字を読む (kanji o yomu)
彼は 漢字を読む ことができます。
(Kare wa kanji o yomu koto ga dekimasu.)
-
To Speak Japanese 日本語を話す (nihongo o hanasu)
少し 日本語を話す ことができます。
(Sukoshi nihongo o hanasu koto ga dekimasu.)
Step 4 Make It Yours!
This is the most important step! Pick words from the Cheat Sheet below (or use your own) and talk about what you can do out loud.
👉 私は YOUR SKILL ことができます。
Vocabulary Cheat Sheet
Communication & Study
- はなす hanasu (to speak)
- よむ yomu (to read)
- かく kaku (to write)
- きく kiku (to listen/ask)
Daily Actions
- たべる taberu (to eat)
- のむ nomu (to drink)
- いく iku (to go)
- する suru (to do)
Bonus Go Beyond the Basics
In real life, you'll also need to say "I CANNOT..." and speak casually with friends. Here’s a quick guide to leveling up your abilities expression!
🙅♀️ 1. I CANNOT... (Negative)
料理することができません。
(Ryouri suru koto ga dekimasen.)
料理することができない。
(Ryouri suru koto ga dekinai.)
🤝 2. Friendly & Casual "I Can"
運転することができる。
(Unten suru koto ga dekiru.)
運転することができるよ。
(Unten suru koto ga dekiru yo.)
Summary Lesson Review
Expressing Abilities: Add ことができます (koto ga dekimasu) directly after a verb in its dictionary form to say "I can...".
Dictionary Form: The dictionary form is the basic form of the verb, such as 行く (iku) or 食べる (taberu).
Negative Form: To say you cannot do something, use ことができません (koto ga dekimasen).
Practice Drill
Explanation