Learn what ら抜き means, why forms like 食べれる and 来れる exist, and when they sound natural or non-standard.
Ra-Removing in Japanese: Is 食べれるたべれる Correct?
~4 min read
In a nutshell: ra-removing splits potential away from (ra)reru to make things clearer—but because it’s non-standard, who uses it and where they use it matters just as much as the grammar itself.
Table of Contents
Ra-Removing (ら抜きらぬき)
As we discussed in the last lesson, the (ra)reru form is really ambiguous.
To reduce that ambiguity, Japanese speakers remove the potential meaning from (ra)reru for ichidan and くる.
This means all classes will have (ra)reru forms for passive/respectful meaning and a unique form for the potential meaning. Whew—that’s a bit more manageable.
This is called ら抜きらぬき (“ra-removing”).
Keep in mind this operation is only applies to ichidan verbs and 来るくる classes.
The operation:
The first ら is dropped, creating two separate forms:
the form without ら is used for potential
the form with ら is kept for passive and respectful
Example: 食べるたべる, an Ichidan Verb
食べられるたべられる = passive / respectful
Made exactly the same as in the last lesson.
食べれるたべれる = potential
Just pluck out that first ら.
Example: 来るくる
来られるこられる = passive / respectful
来れるこれる = potential
With the potential meaning split apart, the (ra)reru form becomes a lot less ambiguous.
It also means that ichidan and 来るくる verbs behave more like godan and する, where the potential form already looks different.
Key takeaway: ら抜きらぬき exists because people like clarity.
The “Chopstick Rule”
Many people still consider ら抜きらぬき to be “incorrect” Japanese. Even so, you will hear it a lot, especially among younger speakers, so it is absolutely worth learning.
A safe rule is this:
use ら抜きらぬき in informal contexts
avoid it with superiors
avoid it in formal situations
However, ら抜きらぬき shows us how non-native speakers are often judged differently from native speakers when they break linguistic norms. This is important to keep in mind not just with ら抜きらぬき but in other aspects of Japanese too.
A simple way to think about this is through a chopstick example.
I have used chopsticks my whole life, and yet Japanese people still sometimes praise me for using them well. But if I make a mistake, it may be seen as me struggling with chopsticks rather than just making an ordinary error.
Meanwhile, if a Japanese friend were to drop some food or stab a dumpling with their chopsticks, people usually do not question their chopstick ability. Of course they can use chopsticks. They tend to just see it as a mistake or perhaps bad manners.
This shows an important double standard:
when native speakers break norms, it may be treated as a mistake
when non-natives break norms, it may be treated as lack of skill
This applies to language too.
If a native speaker uses ra-removing, it may just sound casual or informal. If a foreigner uses it, it may be judged more harshly as “wrong Japanese.”
So when in doubt, it is safest to stick to standard Japanese, especially in formal situations.
If you want to experiment with informal forms, slang, “wrong” grammar, don’t be surprised if you get pulled up for it.
At the same time, there is another side to this:
foreigners often hold themselves to a double standard too. We forget words in our native language all the time and don’t beat ourselves up over it. We trip over our words, say the wrong thing, and move on. We don’t tend to think “my English ability is so bad”. Don’t be so hard on yourself and your Japanese.
Key takeaway: non-standard language may be judged differently depending on who uses it.
Why the (Ra)reru Respectful Form Matters
The rise of ら抜きらぬき has likely strengthened the association of the full (ra)reru form with passive and respectful meanings.
That, together with how easy this form is to use, may help explain why the (ra)reru form has become a common respectful honorific form.
Some books barely teach respectful (ra)reru at all, or strongly discourage it. Even in very conservative work environments—including my own—this form shows up regularly.
The important thing is to understand its place:
it is a respectful form,
but it is less formal than stronger honorific options,
so in very formal situations, especially business contexts, some people may still object to it.
As long as you stay aware of that, it is a very useful tool.
In fact, because it is one of the least forceful respectful forms while still being respectful, it plays an important role: it lets you show respect without sounding overly cold, distant, or ceremonious.