Part 1: Intentional and Unintentional Verbs
Unintentional verbs: Do not express intentional actions; independent of the subject's intention; or express the result of an intentional action.
→ ① Try to have a baby (Intentional). / Get pregnant (Unintentional).
→ ② Close the door (Intentional). / The door closes (Unintentional).
→ ③ Borrow money from parents (Intentional). / Owe money to parents (Unintentional).
→ ④ Listen to music (Intentional). / Hear the sound of a car (Unintentional).
→ ⑤ Watch a movie (Intentional). / See a mountain (Unintentional).
→ ⑥ Become a teacher (Intentional). / It starts to rain (Unintentional).
→ ⑦ Fall onto the bed (Intentional). / The tree fell (Unintentional).
→ ⑧ Drop a bomb (Intentional). / Drop a wallet (Unintentional).
Part 2: Potential Form Verbs
Group I: V[い]ます → V[え]ます
Group II: Vます → Vられます
Group III:
きます → こられます
します → できます
Part 3: Potential Form Verbs (can do ~)
Talks about a condition or something that is permitted to be done.
Note:
* When conjugated to the Potential Form, all verbs become Group II verbs.
* Only the particle を is replaced by the particle が. Other particles remain unchanged.
私は ビールを のむことが できません。
私は ビールが のめません。
→ ① I don't drink beer. I cannot drink beer.
→ ② Because I'm busy, I cannot return to my hometown.
B: はい、漢字が よめます。
→ ③ A: Can Karina read Kanji? B: Yes, she can read Kanji.
B: はい、できますよ。
→ ④ A: Excuse me, can I use a card here? B: Yes, you can.
Part 4: ～が見えます / ～が聞こえます (can see / can hear ~)
～が聞こえます: can hear ~
Distinguishing between 見えます・聞こえます and 見られます・聞けます:
* **見られます・聞けます**: The subject performs an intentional action of seeing or hearing. Talks about an object that is permitted or possible to be seen/heard. Talks about a special ability of a subject.
* **見えます・聞こえます**: The object is within the range of observation/perception, independent of the subject's intention. Not used for ability or permission to do something. Not used to talk about capability.
→ ① You can watch Vietnamese movies in Shinjuku.
→ ② You can see Mount Fuji from the Shinkansen.
→ ③ You can listen to the radio on the phone.
→ ④ You can hear the sound of the radio from here.
B: ここから うみが みえますよ。
→ ⑤ A: What can you see? B: You can see the sea from here.
B: へやから とりの こえが きこえます。
→ ⑥ A: What can you hear from your room? B: I can hear the sound of birds from my room.
Part 5: ～ができます (~ is completed)
Talks about an object that has been completed (finished/made/generated).
→ ① Dinner is already ready.
→ ② A large supermarket has been built in front of the station.
Part 6: ～は～が、～は～ for contrast
→ ① I eat meat, but I don't eat fish.
→ ② I'm not going to China, but I am going to Japan.
Part 7: ～しか～ない (only, nothing but ~)
Expresses a small amount or the speaker's feeling of regret.
Always accompanied by a negative ending.
しか directly replaces the particles を and が.
→ ① There are only apples in the refrigerator.
B: ぼくは 漫画しか すきじゃありません。
→ ② A: What kind of books do you like? B: I only like manga.
