Qubyte Codes

There are two major ways of expressing the ability to do something.

Verb in the potential form

A verb in the potential form directly expresses ability:

• 食(た)べる: to eat
• 食(た)べられる: to be able to eat

Using 出(で)来(き)る

This pattern seems to be used in a more general sense of possibility rather than for particular events or peeople etc., though I'm not advanced enough to have a feel for it.

The general pattern is to add 事(こと)が出(で)来(き)る to a verb in the dictionary form.

• 食(た)べる: to eat
• 食(た)べる事(こと)が出(で)来(き)る: to be able to eat

For する verbs this pattern can be added directly to the noun:

• テニスをする: to play tennis
• テニス事(こと)が出(で)来(き)る: to be able to play tennis

This fries my brain a bit when I remember that 出(で)来(き)る is already the (irregular) potential form of する.

Remember, when in the negative form the が may become a は for emphasis!