JLPT N5 · Likes, wants and can · 32 of 60

Saying you can: ことができます

～ことができます ~ koto ga dekimasu Can do something

Dictionary form + ことができます means "can do": 泳ぐことができます, I can swim. English uses "can" + the base verb, with no "to".

Level: JLPT N5, beginner
Type: Likes, wants and can
English links: can, modal verbs, could and was able to

What it means

This pattern says what you are able to do, or what is possible. Take the dictionary form of a verb (the plain form you find in the dictionary, like 泳ぐ, 食べる, する), add こと (the act of), then ができます. 泳ぐことができます is "I can swim".

With a noun for a skill, skip こと: 日本語ができます (I can speak Japanese), ピアノができます (I can play the piano). The negative is できません, and the past is できました.

In everyday speech, people more often use a shorter form, 泳げます. That comes at N4. ことができます is clear and a little formal. You will see it on signs and in school rules: ここで写真を撮ることができます (You can take photos here).

How to build it

Pattern	How it works
Dictionary form + ことができます dictionary form + koto ga dekimasu	泳ぐことができます (I can swim).
Noun + ができます noun + ga dekimasu	英語ができます (I can speak English).
～ことができません ~ koto ga dekimasen	Cannot.
～ことができました ~ koto ga dekimashita	Could; was able to.

Examples

私は漢字を読むことができます。 watashi wa kanji o yomu koto ga dekimasu. I can read kanji.
図書館で本を借りることができます。 toshokan de hon o kariru koto ga dekimasu. You can borrow books at the library.
弟は泳ぐことができません。 otouto wa oyogu koto ga dekimasen. My little brother can't swim.
田中さんは英語ができます。 tanaka-san wa eigo ga dekimasu. Tanaka can speak English.
昨日は早く寝ることができました。 kinou wa hayaku neru koto ga dekimashita. I was able to go to bed early last night.

How English says it

English uses "can" + the base verb: "I can swim". There is no "to", and no "-s": "She can swim", not "She cans swim" or "She can swims". The negative is "can't" or "cannot".

For the past, "could" is for general ability: "I could swim when I was five". For one success on one day, English prefers "was able to" or "managed to": "I was able to finish my homework".

With a skill, English needs the verb: "I can speak English", "I can play the piano". 英語ができます has no verb to copy.

Why it can make English hard

こと turns a verb into a thing, so some students add "to" or "-ing": "I can to swim", "I can swimming".
Noun + ができます has no verb, so "I can English" is very common.
できました covers both "could" and "was able to". Students use "could" for a single success, which sounds odd.

Mistakes you will hear

I can English. I can speak English. From 英語ができます. English needs the verb.
He can swims. He can swim. After "can", always the base verb. No "-s", no "to".
Yesterday I could finish my homework. Yesterday I was able to finish my homework. One success at one time uses "was able to" or "managed to".

In the classroom

Run a "Can you ...?" survey with action pictures: swim, cook, ride a unicycle, play the piano. Students answer "Yes, I can" or "No, I can't".
Write "can + verb" as a formula on the board and cross out "to" and "-s" in red. A short visual rule helps.
For "I can English", ask "Can you what English? Speak? Read? Write?" Students soon add the verb on their own.

Practice

Try each one, then open it to check.

1. Fill the gap: ピアノを弾く＿＿ができます。 (I can play the piano.)

Answer: こと

こと turns the verb into a thing, so it can take ができます.
2. Translate: 私は料理ができません。

Answer: I can't cook.

English needs a verb. 料理ができる is "can cook".
3. A student writes "My mother can to drive." Fix it.

Answer: My mother can drive.

No "to" after "can".
4. Translate: ここで写真を撮ることができます。

Answer: You can take photos here.

A rule or sign uses "you can" for what is allowed.