Practice JLPTHow to tell them apart
ことができる explicitly states that an action is possible by nominalizing the verb, while られる fuses potentiality directly into the verb form. With ことができる you keep the dictionary verb intact and add ことができる, whereas られる changes the verb ending itself, e.g. 書くことができる vs 書ける. Swapping them is usually fine in meaning, but ことができる sounds more deliberate and formal, while られる is the everyday potential form. A key trap: られる requires conjugation by verb type, so する becomes できる and くる becomes こられる, whereas ことができる simply attaches to any dictionary-form verb.
- ことが出来る・できる Use ことができる when you want to clearly state that an action is possible, especially in formal or written contexts.
- られる Use られる when you want to express potential in everyday speech by conjugating the verb directly.
| Grammar point | Meaning | JLPT level |
|---|---|---|
| ことが出来る・できる kotoga ru dekiru | Can do/Able to | N4 |
| られる rareru | 〜られる/〜える | N4 |
ことが出来る・できる kotoga ru dekiru
Can do/Able to
Can; be able to | Doing something is possible
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ジョンソンさんは日本語で手紙を書くことが出来る。
Mr. Johnson can write letters in Japanese.
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小田さんは 六つ[むっつ]の時バッハを弾くことが出来た。
Oda was able to play Bach at the age of six.
られる rareru
〜られる/〜える
An auxiliary verb which indicates potential.
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この字は読めない。
This letter is not readable.
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この水は飲めない・飲めません。
This water is not drinkable.
ことが出来る・できる and られる are both JLPT N4 grammar points that Japanese learners often mix up. This page compares them side by side — meanings, usage and example sentences — so you can tell them apart.