れる・られる (Potential)

れる and られる are the typical forms used to express ability in Japanese. They attach to the verb stem to mean “can do.” For ichidan verbs, the ichidan verb stem takes られる. For godan verbs, the final -u sound changes to -eru (e.g., 行く → 行ける). Note that some forms of 見られる or 食べられる can also be interpreted as passive, and context will determine meaning. In conversation, the られる form can sound more formal or old-fashioned in some regions; the shorter れる/れる form may be used in casual speech. Also, potential is commonly expressed more naturally with 〜ことができる or 〜られる after a noun or verb stem in everyday speech, depending on the verb and context.