行けます vs 行きます potential form


I've got the following sentence:

> Everyone but my older brother is going on next week's trip.

which, in Japanese, is supposedly

> 来週の旅行は兄以外みんな **行けます** 。

But since it's got 行けます as opposed to 行きます, which, as I understand, is the
potential form of "to go", shouldn't the English translation have **can go**
instead of **is going** (or the Japanese sentence have 行きます instead of 行けます)?

> Everyone but my older brother **can** go on next week's trip.




In short you are right. If we are to purely base it on the English version you
provided, "Everyone but my older brother is going on next week's trip." Then
the correct translation as you suspect, is

...行きます

This means that the plan is committed. The tickets purchased, reservations
made, it's set.

...行けます

..means it is possible, but not committed yet. The statement you provided
means, the older brother has prior commitment, but everyone else is willing to
go and have the time open, but nothing is decided yet.

So, if you are to translate:

来週の旅行は兄以外みんな行けます。

You are correct with:

Everyone but my older brother can go on next week's trip.




In short you are right. If we are to purely base it on the English version you
provided, "Everyone but my older brother is going on next week's trip." Then
the correct translation as you suspect, is

...行きます

This means that the plan is committed. The tickets purchased, reservations
made, it's set.

...行けます

..means it is possible, but not committed yet. The statement you provided
means, the older brother has prior commitment, but everyone else is willing to
go and have the time open, but nothing is decided yet.

So, if you are to translate:

来週の旅行は兄以外みんな行けます。

You are correct with:

Everyone but my older brother can go on next week's trip.

