[Verb 未然形 + aux verbs れる/られる] form “can do, eat, fly, sleep, etc.” in Japanese.
- もうこれ以上食べられない -> I can’t eat any more
- 朝の四時には起きられない -> I can’t get up four in the morning
However verbs with 五段活用 usually use abbreviated forms instead:
- この字は読まれない (読まれる) ❌
- この字は読めない (読める) ✔
Actually the first example is considered correct grammatically and academically, but practically never used.
The abbreviated form is called 可能動詞. The below are examples:
- なる ->
なられる-> なれる - 取る ->
取られる-> 取れる - 書く ->
書かれる-> 書ける
All 可能動詞 conjugate with 下一段活用.
Also note that in informal conversations, ら of られる is often omitted. The practice is called “ら抜き言葉”. Scholars and language police will frown on it, and can sound juvenile and/or uneducated, but is very common.
- 明日来られる？(correct) <-> 明日来れる？(ら抜き言葉)
- Can you come over tomorrow?
- このシャツは小さすぎて着られない (correct) <-> 着れない (ら抜き言葉)
- This shirt is too small and I cannot wear it