modality N2 common politewritten
〜得る — can / it is possible to ~
〜得る ・ える
Builds on 連用形（ます形）
Meaning
- can ~ / it is possible to ~ / there's a possibility of ~ — formal potential, mostly for abstract possibility rather than personal skill
Key sentence
そんなことは十分あり得る。
Such a thing is entirely possible.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb (ます-stem) | V(stem) + 得る | 起こり得る / 考え得る |
Examples
誰にでも間違いは起こり得る。
Mistakes can happen to anyone.
この方法で問題は解決し得る。
It is possible to solve the problem this way.
When you can't use it
- Expresses whether something can happen or be conceived, not a learned ability. For 'I can swim,' use the potential 泳げる, not 泳ぎ得る.
Easily confused with
〜れる・られる (potential) The れる/られる potential states concrete ability ('I can do it'). 〜得る is formal and abstract — 'it is possible / it could happen' — typically about events, not personal skills. 〜得ない 得ない is the negative: 'cannot possibly ~ / it's impossible that ~' (あり得ない). 得る affirms a possibility; 得ない denies it.
Notes
- The dictionary form is read both える and うる (得る/得る); うる is more formal and literary. The negative, however, is always えない (得ない).
See 〜得る in real sentences
Jengo shows 〜得る the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled with reference to A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar.