Use of に in ぼくにも出来る


So I was watching the [Pokemon Super Bowl
Commercial](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2F46tGehnfo), and around :40
seconds in I hear the phrase

> ぼくにも出来る

Now I know it basically means "I can also do that", but what is the function
of the に particle here? Wouldn't ぼくも出来る hold the same meaning still?




> 1)「ボクにもできる。」
>
> 2) "I can also do that."

While those two sentences may be good "translations" for each other, they are
structured **very** differently. It is, indeed, "translation" that often gets
in the way of understanding things between the two languages.

The English sentence clearly has a grammatical subject in "I", but the subject
is unmentioned in the Japanese sentence. 「ボク」 is not the subject of sentence
#1, believe it or not.

> 「ボクにもできる。」 literally means "~~ is doable for me, too."

The ~~ part is just not mentioned because it is understood between the speaker
and listener from the larger context/situation. If one is to actually mention
and use it in the sentence, one would say:

> 「ボクにも～～ができる。」

Notice that 「ボク」 is still not the subject of that sentence; 「～～」 is. It is
saying "~~ is doable for me, too.", but only for the sake of naturalness of
the translated English sentence, one might use "I can also do ~~", "I can do
~~, too", etc.

Long preface, I know, but from my experience with Japanese-learners, I just
know how common this misunderstanding is among them.

Thus, 「に」 is like "to" or "for" as in "X is Y **_to/for_** me" in English.
Once again, this 「に」 does not mark the subject.

This 「に」 is the signature particle used in phrases such as:

> 「Person + に + わかる/できる/[見]{み}える/[言]{い}える, etc.」

Finally, the 「も」 is there for emphasis. It means "even" here.

In essence, the original sentence literally means:

> "~~ is doable even for me."




> 1)「ボクにもできる。」
>
> 2) "I can also do that."

While those two sentences may be good "translations" for each other, they are
structured **very** differently. It is, indeed, "translation" that often gets
in the way of understanding things between the two languages.

The English sentence clearly has a grammatical subject in "I", but the subject
is unmentioned in the Japanese sentence. 「ボク」 is not the subject of sentence
#1, believe it or not.

> 「ボクにもできる。」 literally means "~~ is doable for me, too."

The ~~ part is just not mentioned because it is understood between the speaker
and listener from the larger context/situation. If one is to actually mention
and use it in the sentence, one would say:

> 「ボクにも～～ができる。」

Notice that 「ボク」 is still not the subject of that sentence; 「～～」 is. It is
saying "~~ is doable for me, too.", but only for the sake of naturalness of
the translated English sentence, one might use "I can also do ~~", "I can do
~~, too", etc.

Long preface, I know, but from my experience with Japanese-learners, I just
know how common this misunderstanding is among them.

Thus, 「に」 is like "to" or "for" as in "X is Y **_to/for_** me" in English.
Once again, this 「に」 does not mark the subject.

This 「に」 is the signature particle used in phrases such as:

> 「Person + に + わかる/できる/[見]{み}える/[言]{い}える, etc.」

Finally, the 「も」 is there for emphasis. It means "even" here.

In essence, the original sentence literally means:

> "~~ is doable even for me."

