2. S. Hamano and W. Kikuchi 1 Visualizing Japanese Grammar Appendix Shoko Hamano George Washington University

3. S. Hamano and W. Kikuchi 2 The table to the right shows how to form potential forms of one-step verbs. 食べる た られる I can eat it. 分ける わ 変える か 決める き 捨てる す られる I can divide it. I can change it. I can decide. I can throw it away. As shown, drop ru and attach rareru. In casual speech, some frequently used forms of this type lose the syllable ra, as shown. 食べ られる た I can eat it. Potential forms

4. S. Hamano and W. Kikuchi 3 The table to the right shows how to form potential forms of five-step verbs. 立つ た てるてる I can stand up. 作る つく 使う つか 呼ぶ よ呼ぶ よ 読む よ読む よ えるえる I can make it. I can use it. I can call them. I can read it. 死ぬ し 書く か 急ぐ いそ 話す はな けるける げるげる I can die. I can write. I can hurry. I can talk. れるれる べるべる めるめる ねるねる せるせる As shown, replace the last u-step syllable with a corresponding e-step syllable and add ru. Potential forms

5. S. Hamano and W. Kikuchi 4 The table to the right shows the potential forms of irregular verbs. Once you form potential forms, they all conjugate as one- step verbs regardless of the identity of their source. 来られる They can come. 来られない They cannot come. 来られた They could come. 来られなかった They could not come. する 出来る でき I can do it. 来る く I can come. 来られる こ There is no systematic rule for these. Just memorize the forms. Potential forms