Te form and ru form of verbs when used with potential form


What's the difference between using the te form of a verb with the potential
form as opposed to just the ru form?

E.g.

> 食べてられない、待ってられない  
>  食べられない、待てない




食べられない is just negative-potential, but 食べてられない is a colloquial version of 食べて
**い** られない, which is negative- **progressive** -potential.

  * 待てない: I can't wait.
  * 待って(い)られない: I can't keep waiting.
  * 食べられない: I can't eat it.
  * 食べて(い)られない: I can't stay here eating it.

* * *

**EDIT:** Some more examples:

  * 見られない (= 見えない): I can't see it.
  * 見て(い)られない: I can't watch it any more. / It's unbearable to see.
  * 起きられない: I can't get up (out of bed).
  * 起きて(い)られない: I can't stay awake.




食べられない is just negative-potential, but 食べてられない is a colloquial version of 食べて
**い** られない, which is negative- **progressive** -potential.

  * 待てない: I can't wait.
  * 待って(い)られない: I can't keep waiting.
  * 食べられない: I can't eat it.
  * 食べて(い)られない: I can't stay here eating it.

* * *

**EDIT:** Some more examples:

  * 見られない (= 見えない): I can't see it.
  * 見て(い)られない: I can't watch it any more. / It's unbearable to see.
  * 起きられない: I can't get up (out of bed).
  * 起きて(い)られない: I can't stay awake.

