Page 521 - Basic Japanese

10.18. The potential

Any Japanese verb can be made into a potential verb with

the meaning ‘is able to be done.’ For vowel verbs, the

potential is always exactly the same as the passive. Tabe-
rare-ru means either ‘someone gets something eaten on

them,’ ‘someone suffers someone else’s eating something’
or ‘something can get eaten = someone can eat

something.’ Ko-rare-ru means ‘someone has someone else
come (to their disadvantage)’ or ‘someone can come.’

Watashi wa otōto ni kēki o taberareta.
My cake was eaten by my brother (and I was

upset).

Shujutsu no ato de taberarenai toki ni, byōshitsu de
haha ni bentō o taberareta.

When I was not allowed to eat after the surgery,
my mother ate her boxed lunch in my hospital
room (and I was annoyed by it).

Daikon no ha wa taberareru.

The leaves of daikon are edible.

Sērusuman ni mata uchi ni korareta.