waraemasu

Waraemasu (笑えます) is the polite present form of the Japanese verb warau (to laugh) when used in its potential form. It expresses the ability to laugh, meaning “can laugh” or “be able to laugh.” The dictionary form of the potential is waraeru (笑える).

Form and inflection details are built on the standard pattern for godan verbs. The potential form is created from warau by adding the suffix -eru to yield waraeru, and the polite present becomes waraemasu. Negative, past, and other tenses follow the regular -masu verb conjugations: waraemasen (cannot laugh), waraemashita (was able to laugh), and waraemasen deshita (was not able to laugh). The plain non-past form is waraeru, and the plain past is waraetam? No; it is waraematta in casual speech (less common in formal writing). In everyday use, speakers typically rely on waraemasu for politeness.

Usage notes clarify that waraemasu is used to state someone’s capability to laugh. It covers both physical laughter and the broader sense of finding something amusing, depending on context. The expression is common in conversation, reports, and instruction where ability to react with laughter is relevant. While it can appear in humorous or ironic contexts, its core meaning remains about potential rather than the mere act of laughing at a specific moment.

Examples: 彼は笑えます。 (Kare wa waraemasu.) He can laugh. 私はその冗談には笑えません。 (Watashi wa sono joudan ni wa waraemasen.) I can’t laugh at that joke. 彼女は困難な状況でも笑えました。 (Kanojo wa konnan na joukyou demo waraemashita.) She was able to laugh even in a difficult situation.