Contrastive Analysis of Potential Sentences in Japanese and Indonesian

Authors

  • Dedi Sutedi

    Japanese Language Education Study Program, Faculty of Language and Literature Education, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Bandung 40154, Indonesia
  • Juju Juangsih

    Japanese Language Education Study Program, Faculty of Language and Literature Education, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Bandung 40154, Indonesia
  • Aep Saeful Bachri

    Japanese Language Education Study Program, Faculty of Language and Literature Education, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Bandung 40154, Indonesia
  • Herniwati

    Japanese Language Education Study Program, Faculty of Language and Literature Education, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Bandung 40154, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i10.10896
Received: 5 July 2025 | Revised: 17 July 2025 | Accepted: 5 August 2025 | Published Online: 26 September 2025

Abstract

This study aims to describe the similarities and differences between potential sentences (kanou hyougen) in Japanese (JL) and Indonesian (IL), focusing on their original forms, construction, meaning, and main characteristics. The analysis reveals that potential sentences in both languages share several key similarities. First, they can be derived from either transitive or intransitive base sentences, as long as the predicates express volitional actions or processes. Second, they display comparable syntactic functions, word categories, and semantic roles. Third, both languages convey similar meanings through potential constructions, namely: (a) natural ability, (b) ability acquired through learning or training, (c) ability based on situational conditions, (d) ability resulting from natural phenomena, and (e) functionality or operability of an object or system. A significant similarity can also be seen in the construction patterns of potential expressions: Japanese uses "N-ga DEKIRU," while Indonesian uses "BISA—N." These constructions share structural features: (a) the subject is typically an animate noun, (b) the noun (N) commonly refers to languages, sports, musical instruments, or songs, and (c) when Japanese uses a verbal noun (NV) after "dekiru," the equivalent in Indonesian becomes "Bisa-V." However, one area that still requires further research is the use of intransitive verbs in potential constructions, especially in Japanese, where the rules for forming potential expressions from intransitive verbs are more complex and less straightforward compared to transitive ones. This gap presents an opportunity for deeper comparative linguistic analysis in future studies.

Keywords:

Potential Sentences; Intransitive Sentences; Contrastive Analysis; Japanese Language; Indonesian Language

References

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How to Cite

Sutedi, D., Juangsih, J., Bachri, A. S., & Herniwati. (2025). Contrastive Analysis of Potential Sentences in Japanese and Indonesian. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 7(10), 603–618. https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i10.10896

Issue

Vol. 7 , Iss. 10 (October 2025): In progress

Article Type

Article

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Copyright © 2025 Dedi Sutedi, Juju Juangsih, Aep Saeful Bachri, Herniwati

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This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.