Verb (ます stem) + 得る(うる) / 得ない(えない)

[Can / Is possible / Cannot / Is impossible]

Connection: Verb (ます stem) + 得る(うる) / 得ない(えない)

Usage: A literary/formal way to express possibility or impossibility. 得る (うる) means something is possible or conceivable; 得ない (えない) means something is impossible or inconceivable.

Key point: More formal than できる. Often used in written language.

Common expressions:

• あり得る (possible, conceivable)
• あり得ない (impossible, inconceivable)

Examples:

そんなことはあり得ない。(Such a thing is impossible.)

この問題は誰にでも起こり得ることだ。(This problem is something that could happen to anyone.)

彼の説明は理解し得るものだった。(His explanation was something that could be understood.)