Complete Grammar Lesson

Review A: ～んです — explaining a reason or situation

寒さむいんです。

It is cold, you see. / The thing is, it is cold.

Review B: ～ていただけませんか — very polite request

出だす前まえに、見みていただけませんか。

Would you please look at it before I submit it?

This is more polite than a simple ～てください request.

Review C: Question word + ～たらいいですか — asking advice

どうしたらいいですか。

What should I do?

どこへ行いったらいいですか。

Where should I go?

Review D: が / を → は when making something the topic

When a noun marked by が or を becomes the topic or contrast, は can replace that particle.

日本語にほんごが分わかります。 → 日本語にほんごは分わかります。

The second sentence highlights Japanese as the topic or contrasts it with something else.

Group 1 verbs

For Group 1 verbs, change the i-sound immediately before ます to the corresponding e-sound.

Sound map

Group 2 verbs

For Group 2 verbs, remove ます and add られます.

Group 3 irregular verbs

Potential verbs still conjugate

Once you make a potential verb, you can make it present, negative, past, or plain just like other verbs.

を usually becomes が in the textbook pattern

With an ordinary transitive verb, the direct object is normally marked by を.

私わたしは英語えいごを話はなします。

I speak English.

When the verb becomes potential, Lesson 27 teaches the object with が:

私わたしは英語えいごが話はなせます。

I can speak English.

Particles such as に and へ stay

Not every particle changes to が. Only を is affected.

Use 1: A person's ability

Use a potential verb when the subject has the skill, ability, physical capacity, or knowledge required to do something.

カラさんはハングルが読よめます。

Kara can read Hangul.

Use 2: Something is possible because of the situation

Potential verbs are not only about personal skill. They can also mean that circumstances, rules, time, availability, or the environment make an action possible.

注文ちゅうもんはまだ変かえられますか。

Can I still change my order?

見みられます — “can see/watch” because it is possible to do so

見みられます is the potential form of 見みます.

It normally describes the ability, opportunity, permission, or circumstances to intentionally see/watch something.

この映画えいがは明日あしたから見みられます。

You can watch this movie starting tomorrow.

見みえます — “is visible / can be seen naturally”

見みえます is not simply the potential conjugation of 見みます. It describes something entering your field of vision naturally.

この町まちから富士山ふじさんが見みえます。

Mt. Fuji can be seen from this town. / You can see Mt. Fuji from this town.

聞きけます — “can listen / can hear intentionally or by opportunity”

聞きけます is the potential form of 聞ききます.

このオーディオガイドで説明せつめいが聞きけます。

You can listen to the explanation with this audio guide.

聞きこえます — “is audible / can be heard naturally”

聞きこえます describes sound reaching your ears naturally, whether or not you intentionally try to listen.

あの部屋へやから変へんな音おとが聞きこえます。

A strange sound can be heard from that room.

A building/place is completed

学校がっこうの近ちかくに新あたらしいモールができました。

A new mall has been completed near my school.

Food/preparation is ready

晩ばんご飯はんができました。

Dinner is ready.

Particle + は

は marks a topic or contrast. When the original particle is が or を, は often replaces it.

But particles such as に, で, へ, から and similar particles are normally kept, and は is added after them.

Particle + も — “also / too / as well”

も can replace は, が, or を. With particles such as に and で, it is commonly added after the particle.

しか vs だけ

コピーは一ひとつしかありません。

There is only one copy.

コピーは一ひとつだけあります。

There is just one copy.

しか replaces が and を

When the limited noun would normally take が or を, しか can take its place.

水みずしか飲のみません。

I drink only water / I drink nothing but water.

一人ひとりしか来きませんでした。

Only one person came.

With に, で, and similar particles: particle + しか

彼女かのじょにしか買かってあげません。

I will not buy it for anyone except her. / I will buy it only for her.

彼女かのじょだけに買かってあげます。

I will buy it only for her.

1. Using the wrong potential rule for Group 1.
   ❌ 読よみられます for the Lesson 27 Group 1 potential.
   ✅ 読よめます
2. Forgetting ら with standard Group 2 potential forms.
   Standard textbook: 食たべられます.
3. Changing every particle to が.
   空港くうこうへ行いけます keeps へ.
   6時じに起おきられます keeps に.
4. Confusing 見みられる with 見みえる.
   Use 見みえる when something is naturally visible.
5. Confusing 聞きける with 聞きこえる.
   Use 聞きこえる when a sound naturally reaches your ears.
6. Using しか with an affirmative verb.
   ❌ 一ひとつしかあります
   ✅ 一ひとつしかありません

At a restaurant

A：すみません。注文ちゅうもんはまだ変かえられますか。

Excuse me. Can I still change my order?

B：はい、まだ変かえられます。

Yes, you can still change it.

Looking out a window

A：ここから富士山ふじさんが見みえますか。

Can you see Mt. Fuji from here?

B：天気てんきがいい日ひは見みえます。

On clear days, you can see it.

A noisy office

A：私わたしの声こえが聞きこえますか。

Can you hear my voice?

B：すみません。よく聞きこえません。

Sorry, I cannot hear you well.

Limited availability

A：いつ会あえますか。

When can you meet?

B：今週こんしゅうは金曜日きんようびにしか会あえません。

This week, I can meet only on Friday.

A. Change to the potential form

1. 書かきます → ?
2. 読よみます → ?
3. 買かいます → ?
4. 話はなします → ?
5. 食たべます → ?
6. 見みます → ?
7. 来きます → ?
8. します → ?

B. Choose 見みられます or 見みえます

1. 天気てんきがいい日ひは、ここから富士山ふじさんが __________。
2. この映画えいがは来週らいしゅうからネットで __________。
3. 窓まどから海うみが __________。

C. Choose 聞きけます or 聞きこえます

1. このアプリで外国がいこくのラジオが __________。
2. 隣となりの部屋へやから音楽おんがくが __________。
3. このイヤホンを使つかえば、もっとはっきり説明せつめいが __________。

D. Make sentences with しか

Rewrite each meaning using しか and a negative predicate.

1. I have only 1,000 yen.
2. I can go only on Sunday.
3. Only one person came.
4. I can buy this only at that store.

E. English → Japanese

1. I can speak Japanese a little.
2. Can you come tomorrow?
3. Mt. Fuji is visible from here.
4. I can hear a strange sound.
5. Dinner is ready.
6. At this store, you can use a credit card.
7. There is also a TV in the living room.
8. I have only one hour.