Meaning & usage
ことができる expresses ability or possibility to do something, like being able to speak a language or use a tool. It follows the dictionary form of a verb, as in 話すことができる, and with action nouns it often appears as noun + ができる, as in 運転ができる. できる itself conjugates like an ichidan verb, so past is できた and negative is できない, and the particle before the object often changes from を to が.
Example sentences 6
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フランス語を話すこともできるの？
Are you also able to speak French?
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「あいうえお」って手書きできる？
Can you write the Japanese hiragana characters for a, i, u, e and o?
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あの電話で外国に電話ができますか？
Can I make an international call with that phone?
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やればできるから。
You can do it if you try.
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どんな子でもできるさ。
Any child can do that.
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どうして今できないの？
Why can't we do this now?
