How to tell them apart
For ichidan verbs the same 食べられる shape can be passive or potential, so context decides the role. Passive means the subject receives the action from another actor, as in 子供にケーキを食べられた. Potential means the subject is able to do the action, as in 野菜が食べられる. For godan verbs the two meanings use different shapes, such as passive 書かれる versus potential 書ける, so 読めない is potential but not a られる example.
- られる Use られる to show the subject receives an action done by someone else.
- られる Use られる to show someone can perform an action with ichidan verbs.
| Grammar point | Meaning | JLPT level |
|---|---|---|
| られる rareru | passive verb form; be done, be acted on | N4 |
| られる rareru | can; be able to | N4 |
られる rareru
passive verb form; be done, be acted on
られる marks the passive, showing that the subject receives the action rather than performs it, as in be built, be eaten, or be scolded. For godan verbs, change the final u sound to the a sound and add れる, as in 作られる, while for ichidan verbs drop る and add られる, as in 食べられる. する becomes される and 来る becomes 来られる, and the doer is usually marked with に. For ichidan verbs this form is identical to the potential, so context decides the meaning.
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それはお金の山をかき集めるために用いられた。
It was used for raking together heaps of money.
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食べられることなくそのたこは、海に帰ったのであった。
That octopus returned to the sea without being eaten.
られる rareru
can; be able to
られる expresses ability or possibility with ichidan verbs, meaning someone can do something or something can happen under certain conditions. It attaches to the verb stem after dropping る, as in 食べる becoming 食べられる and 見る becoming 見られる. The resulting form conjugates as an ichidan verb, so negatives and polite forms follow patterns like られない and られます. In casual speech, ら is often dropped to give forms like 見れる.
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正午までにそれを終えられますか。
Can you finish it by noon?
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水がなければ何も生きられないでしょう。
Without water, nothing could live.
られる and られる are both JLPT N4 grammar points that Japanese learners often mix up. This page compares them side by side on meanings, usage and example sentences, so you can tell them apart.