View Single Post
(#22 (permalink))
Old
Sashimister's Avatar
Sashimister (Offline)
他力本願
 
Posts: 1,258
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Tokyo, Japan
05-10-2010, 04:43 AM

Quote:
Originally Posted by KyleGoetz View Post
Is it true that you would not really ever add する to a するverb and then nominalize it with a particle?

Like you wouldn't really ever say something like 野球をすることができます。 Rather, you'd just say 野球ができます。

Right?
To say "I know how to play baseball.", native speakers would almost never say 野球をすることができます.

野球をすることができます, when correctly used, has two meanings:
1. Playing baseball is permitted in a certain place.
2. A baseball player has recovered from a serious injury and says "I can play baseball again."

野球ができます has one additional meaning, which is "I know how to play basebal."
Reply With Quote