What is potential form?


I am in my fourth online Japanese class at UMUC Asia and we just started
learning about potential form of verbs. I was wondering if there is an easy
way to explain what it is? My teacher's explanation was not helpful and I
cannot find any easy way to explain so I am stuck. Any help is greatly
appreciated!!




"Potential" refers to the potential to do a verb. For example: you can read, I
can speak, we are able to see.

In English we normally use the auxiliary verbs "able" and "can" but in
Japanese the verbs inflect for case and is prescribed as mentioned by Yuuichi
Tam.

