help! i'm having so much problems with potential and 'become' verbs. please, anybody, explain for something like the following:

listen:
kikimasu (i get that)
kikemasu (i get that)
kikoemasu (what?! why?!)

wen

The English sentence "I can hear music" can mean two very different things:
(1) I am physically capable of hearing music (that is, I am not deaf, or "tone deaf" )-- (watashi wa) ongaku ga kikeru.
(2) There is music present (at the moment) which is audible to me-- (watashi wa) ongaku ga kikoeru.

I believe that kikeru corresponds to meaning (1), and kikoeru to meaning (2).

Whether and how this generalizes to other verbs I don't know. Notice that ongaku is followed by "ga" for both verbs, not "o"-- it is not the object of either verb, the way "music" is the object of "to hear" in English.

Hello Tony!
Thank you!

Are the following correct?

1) I can see in the dark. - will use 'miraremasu'

2) I (do) see the picture that is on the wall. - will use 'miemasu'

3) I am looking at pictures in the museum. - will use 'mite imasu'

*fingers crossed*

wen

Those all sound right to me-- but I am only at lower intermediate level, so don't take my word for anything. Hopefully, someone more advanced will come along and enlighten us both about these potential forms.

I do think I've seen something which said that intent is part of the distinction between miru and mieru-- so mite is looking at something with the intent of seeing it, miete is being able to see something, something being visible to one, so those explanations are in line with your examples.

Thanks!

Wen san, hajimemashite.

> 1) I can see in the dark. - will use 'miraremasu'
>
> 2) I (do) see the picture that is on the wall. - will use 'miemasu'
>
> 3) I am looking at pictures in the museum. - will use 'mite imasu'

The last one is correct, but the first two are difficult actually. I think Japanese verb "miru" is more difficult for foregners because the usage of the verb doesn't correspond with English one perfectly. So, I pick up another verb "kaku (write)" to show you general example:

I can write hiragana.
watashi wa, hiragana ga kakemasu.

I can write my name in hiragana.
watashi wa, namae o hiragana de kakemasu.

My name is written in hiragana.
watashi no namae wa hiragana dekakaremasu.

I'm writing my name in hiragana.
watashi wa, namae o hiragana de kaite imasu.

I hope above examples will be proper for you. And here are about "miru":

miru - see, look (at), watch

I can see in the dark.
watashi wa, kurayami de miemasu.

I can watch the game in the dark.
kurayamide, watashi wa sono geemu ga miemasu. [with my eyes physically]
kurayami de, watashi wa sono geemu o miremasu/miraremasu. [with my patience]

I can see the game in the dark.
kurayami no geemu ga miemasu.
= I find the game is playing in the dark.

You can see the game in the dark.
kurayami de, geemu ga miraremasu.
= anata wa, kurayami de geemu o miremasu/miraremasu.

You are looked by someone in the dark.
anata wa, kurayami de dareka ni miraremasu.

> 2) I (do) see the picture that is on the wall.
watashi wa, kabe no e o mimasu.

I'm wondering if above are understandable for you. Anyway, "miru" is not so easy when thinking in English. Please ask any time if you want.

Shizu