ISORI

〜うる / 〜える

JLPT N3:

can / could possibly

A formal "can" or "could possibly", about whether something is possible at all.

How to form it

  • Start from the ます form and replace ます with うる or える: 考(かんが)えます becomes 考(かんが)え得(う)る.
  • It is usually written 得(う)る. The dictionary form can be read うる or える, but other forms use え: 得(え)ない, 得(え)ます.
  • ありうる or ありえる means "can happen"; ありえない means "can't happen" or "unbelievable".

Examples

そんなことはあり得(ありえ)ない。

That can't happen.

これは考(かんが)え得(う)る最善(さいぜん)の方法(ほうほう)だ。

This is the best method we could think of.

Notes

  • It is about whether something is possible, not about a person's ability: 起(お)こり得(う)る問題(もんだい) (a problem that could arise).
  • ありえない is common in casual speech too: ありえない！ (no way!).

Similar meaning