有り得ます（ありえます、ariemasu）
- to be possible

The Japanese word 有り得ます (ありえます) means "it's possible," "it's likely," "it can happen," or "it's conceivable." It expresses the possibility or probability of something. It suggests that something is within the realm of what could occur or is not entirely impossible. The degree of possibility can vary depending on the context, ranging from a slight chance to a strong likelihood. The root of 有り得ます is 有り得る (ありうる), which can also be translated as "can be," or "possible." 有り得ます is a polite form of this verb.

⚫︎そんなことは有り得ます。 Translation: That's possible. ⚫︎彼の成功は十分に有り得ます。 Translation: His success is quite possible. ⚫︎この状況では、遅延が有り得ます。 Translation: In this situation, a delay is possible.

⚫︎有り得ます is used in formal and polite situations. ⚫︎It's suitable for various contexts, including professional settings, writing, and conversations with people you want to show respect to. ⚫︎You can use it to express that something is not impossible, or that something is likely to happen. ⚫︎It can be used to describe events, situations, or outcomes. You can use this word in an affirmative context, describing something that is possible. ⚫︎Consider the context and level of politeness needed when choosing between 有り得ます and other ways to say "it's possible."

⚫︎The base form is 有り得る (ありうる), which is written in kanji and hiragana. ⚫︎The polite form, 有り得ます (ありえます), is written in kanji and hiragana. ⚫︎The kanji is 有 (meaning "to exist," "to have") and the hiragana is り得ます. ⚫︎The verb "to be able to" (得る）is in its polite form ます form. ⚫︎There is generally no variation in the okurigana for this word.

⚫︎可能です (かのうです) - Possible ⚫︎できる (できる) - Can do ⚫︎起こりうる (おこりうる) - Likely to happen ⚫︎ありえる (ありえる) - The casual version of 有り得る ⚫︎可能性が高い (かのうせいがたかい) - Highly probable ⚫︎～かもしれない (～かもしれない) - Might be, may be ⚫︎見込みがある (みこみがある) - There is a prospect/chance

⚫︎有り得ません (ありえません) - Impossible (polite negative form) ⚫︎不可能 (ふかのう) - Impossible ⚫︎あり得ない (ありえない) - Impossible (casual)

明日の試合は雨で中止になる有り得ますか？ ・Translation: Is it possible that tomorrow's match will be canceled due to rain? ・Explanation: This sentence uses 有り得ます to inquire about the possibility of an event.

この問題は、すぐに解決する有り得ます。 ・Translation: This problem could be solved quickly. ・Explanation: The sentence expresses the possibility of a quick solution using 有り得ます.

⚫︎有り得ます comes from the verb 有り得る (ありうる). ⚫︎有 (あ/あり) means "to have," "to exist," or "to be." ⚫︎得る (える) means "to obtain," "to get," or in this context, “to be able to.” It means something is within the realm of possibility. ⚫︎Therefore, 有り得る literally means "to be able to have" or "to be able to exist," expressing the concept of possibility. ⚫︎The polite suffix ます is then added to the stem to create the polite form of the verb.