can; be possible to

得る (read うる or える) attaches to a verb's masu-stem to mean that something is possible or conceivable. The negative is 得ない (えない). It is more formal and abstract than the potential form, often about possibility rather than personal ability.

Examples

• 誰だれにでも起おこり得うることだ。

  Dare ni demo okori uru koto da.

  It's something that can happen to anyone.

• そんなことはあり得えない。

  Sonna koto wa arienai.

  That can't possibly be true.

Vocabulary in these examples

• 誰 who
• ある to exist (inanimate); to have

Related patterns · Ability and inevitability

• 〜かねる cannot; be unable to bring oneself to
• 〜かねない might (something bad); be capable of
• 〜がたい hard to; difficult to
• 〜ざるを得ない have no choice but to; cannot help but
• 〜ようがない there's no way to; cannot possibly