can do, be able to do

Dictionary form plus koto ga dekimasu expresses ability or possibility: oyogu koto ga dekimasu means I can swim. With suru verbs, the noun alone plus ga dekimasu also works: unten ga dekimasu. The negative is koto ga dekimasen.

Examples

• 私わたしは漢字かんじを読よむことができます。

  Watashi wa kanji o yomu koto ga dekimasu.

  I can read kanji.

• ここで切符きっぷを買かうことができます。

  Koko de kippu o kau koto ga dekimasu.

  You can buy tickets here.

Vocabulary in these examples

• 私 I; me
• 漢字 kanji; Chinese character
• 読む to read
• できる to be able to do
• ここ here
• 切符 ticket

Related patterns · Permission, obligation, ability

• 〜てもいいです may do, it is okay to do (permission)
• 〜てはいけません must not do (prohibition)
• 〜ないでください please do not do
• 〜なければなりません must do, have to do
• 〜なくてもいいです do not have to do