From 788e0f545c08c49ac9af46e388b86adb47a2132d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Spencer Grimes <toamidan@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 6 Nov 2025 11:21:23 +0900
Subject: [PATCH] "vault backup: 2025-11-06 11:21:23 from Flow"

---
 10-Input/Classes/Japanese Notes.md | 48 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++--
 1 file changed, 46 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/10-Input/Classes/Japanese Notes.md b/10-Input/Classes/Japanese Notes.md
index f84a2af..a7202f6 100644
--- a/10-Input/Classes/Japanese Notes.md	
+++ b/10-Input/Classes/Japanese Notes.md	
@@ -73,5 +73,49 @@ When you eat, you say "いただきます"
 ご飯を食べった時に”ごち勝差までしゅた”といいます。
 After you eat, you say Gochusousamadeshita (or close to that)
 
-## Potential Verbs
-Remind me to study later
+# Potential Verbs
+The potential form in Japanese is used to express **ability** or **possibility** (e.g., "can do," "is able to"). Once a verb is in its potential form, it functions grammatically as a **Group 2 (Ichidan) verb**.
+
+## 1. How to Form Potential Verbs (Conjugation)
+
+| Verb Group | Base Form (Dictionary) | Conjugation Rule | Potential Form (Plain) | Example |
+| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
+| **Group 1** (Godan/U-verbs) | Ends in a U-row kana | Change the final U-sound to the equivalent **E-sound** and add **る** ($U \rightarrow E + る$) | $E-る$ verb | **話す** (hanasu - to speak) $\rightarrow$ **話せる** (hanaseru - can speak) |
+| **Group 2** (Ichidan/Ru-verbs) | Ends in **る** (preceded by E or I sound) | Replace **る** with **られる** ($る \rightarrow られる$) | $られる$ verb | **食べる** (taberu - to eat) $\rightarrow$ **食べられる** (taberareru - can eat) |
+| **Irregular** (する) | **する** (suru - to do) | Special exception | **できる** (dekiru - can do) | |
+| **Irregular** (来る) | **来る** (kuru - to come) | Special exception | **来られる** (korareru - can come) | |
+
+### 📝 Note: The ら-Drop (ら抜き言葉)
+In casual speech, especially for Group 2 verbs, the *ら* (ra) is often dropped.
+* **Standard:** 食べられる (taberareru)
+* **Colloquial (Non-Standard):** 食べれる (tabereru)
+
+---
+
+## 2. Key Grammatical Usage: Particle Change
+
+The most important grammatical rule for potential verbs is the change in the direct object particle.
+
+### Particle Change: を (o) $\rightarrow$ が (ga)
+
+When a transitive verb is put into the potential form, the direct object particle usually changes from **を** (*o*) to **が** (*ga*).
+
+| Verb Form | Example Sentence | Meaning |
+| :--- | :--- | :--- |
+| **Non-Potential** | 私は**日本語を**話します。 | I speak Japanese. |
+| **Potential** | 私は**日本語が**話せます。 | I **can** speak Japanese. |
+
+> **Tip:** While **が** is grammatically correct and preferred in formal writing, you may frequently hear **を** used with potential verbs in casual conversation.
+
+---
+
+## 3. Alternative Expression of Potential
+
+You can express potential without conjugating the verb into its unique form by using the phrase **～ことができる** (koto ga dekiru), which means "the thing/action of [verb] can be done."
+
+* **Formula:** Plain Form of Verb + **ことができる**
+
+| Method               | Example                  | Meaning               |
+| :------------------- | :----------------------- | :-------------------- |
+| **Potential Verb**   | 日本語**が** **話せます**。       | I can speak Japanese. |
+| **Alternative Form** | 日本語を **話す** **ことができます**。 | I can speak Japanese. |