Japanese - Abilities

Lesson 70 of 168

A friendly scene of two people talking in Japanese about abilities — moving boxes, cooking, and asking for help. The image shows polite Japanese phrases about ability.

Goal: Talk about what you can (and can't) do

Free Japanese lessons with guided practice, audio, and speaking support.

Welcome back — lesson 70! Short and useful: we'll practice polite ways to say what you can do, what you can't, and what you need help with. Listen, repeat, and then try the short activities.

Level A2: In this lesson you'll learn polite phrases for talking about abilities and skills — for example, how to say “I can…,” “I can't…,” “I can do it a little,” “I know how,” and “I need help.” These are practical for daily life: asking about doing something alone, saying if something is easy or difficult for you, and checking if someone knows the method. (CEFR-aligned.)

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Level A2: Practice polite expressions to say what you can and cannot do (e.g., ___ことができます／できません).
  • Ask and answer whether you can do something by yourself (一人でできますか？ / 一人でできます).
  • Say you need help (手伝ってもらわないとできません) and describe things that are easy or difficult for you (私には___はかんたんです / 私には___はむずかしいです).
A warm kitchen scene where someone says 私には料理はかんたんです and another asks 一人でできますか？ — the lesson topic is abilities and skills in Japanese.

Ready? Let's go!

When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

___ことができます。

___ koto ga dekimasu.

I can ___.

Meaning: I can ___.

When to use: Put a dictionary/plain form verb before こと, for example 泳ぐことができます。Use the polite form to state an ability.

Tip: Don't put a conjugated verb (e.g., できる→できた). Use the dictionary/plain form before こと.

泳ぐことができます。

Oyogu koto ga dekimasu.

I can swim.
ピアノを弾くことができます。

Piano o hiku koto ga dekimasu.

I can play the piano.

___ことができません。

___ koto ga dekimasen.

I can't ___.

Meaning: I can't ___.

When to use: Put a dictionary/plain verb before こと to say you cannot do something, for example 運転することができません。

車を運転することができません。

Kuruma o unten suru koto ga dekimasen.

I can't drive a car.
料理を作ることができません。

Ryōri o tsukuru koto ga dekimasen.

I can't cook.

___が少しできます。

___ ga sukoshi dekimasu.

I can ___ a little.

Meaning: I can ___ a little.

When to use: Use a noun or activity before が, for example 日本語が少しできます。For verbs, say the verb dictionary form + ことが少しできます.

日本語が少しできます。

Nihongo ga sukoshi dekimasu.

I can speak Japanese a little.
ギターが少しできます。

Gitā ga sukoshi dekimasu.

I can play guitar a little.

___のやり方がわかります。

___ no yarikata ga wakarimasu.

I know how to ___.

Meaning: I know how to ___.

When to use: Put a noun or activity before のやり方, for example 料理のやり方がわかります。This says you know the method or how to do something.

掃除のやり方がわかります。

Sōji no yarikata ga wakarimasu.

I know how to clean.
パソコンのセットアップのやり方がわかります。

Pasokon no setto appu no yarikata ga wakarimasu.

I know how to set up a computer.

___のやり方がわかりません。

___ no yarikata ga wakarimasen.

I don't know how to ___.

Meaning: I don't know how to ___.

When to use: Put a noun or activity before のやり方がわかりません to say you lack the method or skill.

写真の編集のやり方がわかりません。

Shashin no henshū no yarikata ga wakarimasen.

I don't know how to edit photos.
この機械の操作のやり方がわかりません。

Kono kikai no sōsa no yarikata ga wakarimasen.

I don't know how to operate this machine.

___が得意です。

___ ga tokui desu.

I'm good at ___.

Meaning: I'm good at ___.

When to use: Use a noun or activity before が得意です, for example テニスが得意です, to describe a strength.

テニスが得意です。

Tenisu ga tokui desu.

I'm good at tennis.
料理が得意です。

Ryōri ga tokui desu.

I'm good at cooking.

___はあまり得意じゃありません。

___ wa amari tokui ja arimasen.

I'm not good at ___.

Meaning: I'm not good at ___.

When to use: Use a noun or activity before はあまり得意じゃありません to describe a weakness politely.

Tip: Don't use が instead of は here; は emphasizes the topic and fits this negative phrasing.

数学はあまり得意じゃありません。

Sūgaku wa amari tokui ja arimasen.

I'm not very good at math.
歌はあまり得意じゃありません。

Uta wa amari tokui ja arimasen.

I'm not very good at singing.

私には___はかんたんです。

Watashi ni wa ___ wa kantan desu.

It's easy for me to ___.

Meaning: It's easy for me to ___.

When to use: Use 私には before the thing and はかんたんです after it to show it is easy for you specifically.

私には英語の発音はかんたんです。

Watashi ni wa Eigo no hatsuon wa kantan desu.

English pronunciation is easy for me.
私には料理はかんたんです。

Watashi ni wa ryōri wa kantan desu.

Cooking is easy for me.

私には___はむずかしいです。

Watashi ni wa ___ wa muzukashii desu.

It's hard for me to ___.

Meaning: It's hard for me to ___.

When to use: Use 私には before the thing and はむずかしいです after it to show it is difficult for you.

私には漢字はむずかしいです。

Watashi ni wa kanji wa muzukashii desu.

Kanji are difficult for me.
私には運転はむずかしいです。

Watashi ni wa unten wa muzukashii desu.

Driving is hard for me.

___方法を知っていますか？

___ hōhō o shitte imasu ka?

Do you know how to ___?

Meaning: Do you know how to ___?

When to use: Put a verb dictionary form before 方法を知っていますか？ (e.g., 使う方法を知っていますか？) to ask if someone knows the method.

このソフトを使う方法を知っていますか？

Kono sofuto o tsukau hōhō o shitte imasu ka?

Do you know how to use this software?
自転車を直す方法を知っていますか？

Jitensha o naosu hōhō o shitte imasu ka?

Do you know how to fix a bicycle?

一人で___ことができますか？

Hitori de ___ koto ga dekimasu ka?

Can you ___ by yourself?

Meaning: Can you ___ by yourself?

When to use: Put a verb dictionary form before ことができますか to ask whether someone can do something independently, e.g., 一人で行くことができますか？

一人で旅行することができますか？

Hitori de ryokō suru koto ga dekimasu ka?

Can you travel alone?
一人で留学することができますか？

Hitori de ryūgaku suru koto ga dekimasu ka?

Can you study abroad by yourself?

一人でできます。

Hitori de dekimasu.

I can do it by myself.

Meaning: I can do it by myself.

When to use: Use 一人でできます to say you can do a previously mentioned task independently.

この仕事は一人でできます。

Kono shigoto wa hitori de dekimasu.

I can do this job by myself.
小さな修理なら一人でできます。

Chīsana shūri nara hitori de dekimasu.

For small repairs, I can do it by myself.

手伝ってもらわないとできません。

Tetsudatte morawanai to dekimasen.

I can't do it without help.

Meaning: I can't do it without help.

When to use: Use 手伝ってもらわないとできません to say you need someone’s help (unless someone helps me, I can't do it).

パソコンの復旧は手伝ってもらわないとできません。

Pasokon no fukyū wa tetsudatte morawanai to dekimasen.

I can't restore the computer without help.
引越しは手伝ってもらわないとできません。

Hikkoshi wa tetsudatte morawanai to dekimasen.

I can't do the move without help.

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Two friends organizing a move, checking what they can do alone and what needs help.

Two friends packing boxes and checking what they can do alone or need help with, illustrating phrases like 一人でできます and 手伝ってもらわないとできません。

Does David need help with heavy furniture?

Portrait of Anna in a Japanese lesson dialogue

Anna

引っ越しは一人でできますか？

Hikkoshi wa hitori de dekimasu ka?

Can you do the move by yourself?

Portrait of David in a Japanese lesson dialogue

David

一人でできます。でもベッドは運ぶことができません。

Hitori de dekimasu. Demo beddo wa hakobu koto ga dekimasen.

I can do it alone. But I can't carry the bed.

Portrait of Anna in a Japanese lesson dialogue

Anna

重い家具は手伝ってもらわないとできませんか？

Omoi kagu wa tetsudatte morawanai to dekimasen ka?

For heavy furniture, can't you do it without help?

Portrait of David in a Japanese lesson dialogue

David

はい、手伝ってもらわないとできません。

Hai, tetsudatte morawanai to dekimasen.

Yes, I can't do it without help.

Portrait of Anna in a Japanese lesson dialogue

Anna

料理は得意ですか？

Ryōri wa tokui desu ka?

Are you good at cooking?

Portrait of David in a Japanese lesson dialogue

David

料理は少しできます。

Ryōri wa sukoshi dekimasu.

I can cook a little.

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

Which sentence means 'I can swim.'?

Which sentence asks 'Do you know how to use this software?'

Which sentence means 'I can't do it without help.'?

Which sentence says 'I'm not very good at singing.'?

Next week I have a presentation, so I can speak English a little.

来週、私はプレゼンテーションをするので、英語が ___ 。

I don't know how to use the new coffee maker.

新しいコーヒーメーカーの ___ がわかりません。

Taking a child somewhere alone is difficult for me.

子どもを一人で連れて行くことは、私には ___ 。

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice

Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).

Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.

Say this phrase out loud:

___ことができます。

___ koto ga dekimasu.

I can ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

___ことができません。

___ koto ga dekimasen.

I can't ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

___が少しできます。

___ ga sukoshi dekimasu.

I can ___ a little.

Say this phrase out loud:

___のやり方がわかります。

___ no yarikata ga wakarimasu.

I know how to ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

___のやり方がわかりません。

___ no yarikata ga wakarimasen.

I don't know how to ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

___が得意です。

___ ga tokui desu.

I'm good at ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

___はあまり得意じゃありません。

___ wa amari tokui ja arimasen.

I'm not good at ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

私には___はかんたんです。

Watashi ni wa ___ wa kantan desu.

It's easy for me to ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

私には___はむずかしいです。

Watashi ni wa ___ wa muzukashii desu.

It's hard for me to ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

___方法を知っていますか？

___ hōhō o shitte imasu ka?

Do you know how to ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

一人で___ことができますか？

Hitori de ___ koto ga dekimasu ka?

Can you ___ by yourself?

Say this phrase out loud:

一人でできます。

Hitori de dekimasu.

I can do it by myself.

Say this phrase out loud:

手伝ってもらわないとできません。

Tetsudatte morawanai to dekimasen.

I can't do it without help.