見える means something is visible; 見られる is the potential or passive form of 見る. A mountain in view is 見える. A film available to watch can be 見られる. The meanings can overlap in context, so the distinction is usually between visibility and the ability or opportunity to look.
also written mieru / mirareru / 聞こえる / 聞ける
見える — it comes into view by itself · 見られる — you get the chance to watch it · the same split runs through 聞こえる and 聞ける
Sentences
6 sentences, word by word
見える — it's simply in view
polite
。
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この
この
this
demonstrative · the window beside you
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窓
まど ［1］
window
noun · the vantage point
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から
から
from
particle · the vantage point the view is had from
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海
うみ ［1］
sea
noun · the thing in view, marked が
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が
が
marks what is in view
particle · nobody is doing anything — the sea is simply there
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見えます
みえます
is visible
polite 見える · an independent verb, not the potential of 見る
見えるN3be visible
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You can see the sea from this window.
見られる — the chance exists
polite
。
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その
その
that
demonstrative · the film already mentioned
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映画
えいが ［1］
film
noun · the thing there is now an opportunity to watch
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は
は
as for — the topic
particle · written は, read わ
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ネット
ネット
the internet
noun · clipped from インターネット
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で
で
in; at — where it happens
particle · where the action happens, or the manner it happens in
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見られます
みられます
can be watched
polite potential of 見る · an opportunity, not a spontaneous sight
見られるN3be able to watch
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You can watch that film online.
見える — from a moving train
plain
。
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晴れた
はれた
clear
plain past of 晴れる · modifying the noun ahead
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日
ひ ［0］
day
noun · the head noun of the clause in front
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は
は
as for — the topic
particle · written は, read わ
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富士山
ふじさん
Mount Fuji
proper noun · 山 read さん in this name
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が
が
marks what is in view
particle · no doer here either — the weather did the arranging
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見える
みえる ［2］
is visible
plain 見える · nobody arranged this; the weather did
見えるN3come into view
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On a clear day you can see Mount Fuji.
聞こえる — the sound arrives
plain past
。
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外
そと ［1］
outside
noun · where the sound came from
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で
で
in; at — where it happens
particle · where the action happens, or the manner it happens in
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犬
いぬ ［2］
dog
noun · the source of the sound
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が
が
marks the subject
particle · what the sentence is about — with 好き, 分かる and potentials, the object
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鳴く
なく ［0］
bark; cry
godan verb · 鳴く for animals, 泣く for people
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の
の
the sound of it
nominaliser · perception verbs take の, not こと
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が
が
marks what was audible
particle · 聞こえる takes が for the sound, not for a listener
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聞こえた
きこえた
was audible
plain past of 聞こえる · the sound reached the speaker unbidden
聞こえるN3be audible
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I could hear a dog barking outside.
聞ける — getting to listen
polite
。
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その
その
that
demonstrative · the song under discussion
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曲
きょく ［0］
song; track
noun · a piece of music
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は
は
as for — the topic
particle · written は, read わ
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ここ
ここ
here
pronoun · the place the opportunity exists
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で
で
in; at — where it happens
particle · where the action happens, or the manner it happens in
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聞けます
きけます
can be listened to
polite potential of 聞く · the chance is available
聞けるN3be able to listen
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You can listen to that song here.
〜に見える — how it comes across
polite
。
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彼女
かのじょ ［1］
she
pronoun · the person being described
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は
は
as for — the topic
particle · written は, read わ
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年
とし ［2］
age; years
noun · 年より, than her years
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より
より
than
particle · the standard of comparison, here her actual age
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若く
わかく
young
adverbial form of 若い · く before 見える
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見えます
みえます
looks; comes across as
polite 見える · appearance, not visibility
〜く見えるN3looks ...
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She looks younger than she is.
Structure
How each one is built and used
Thingが＋見える
窓から海が見えます. An independent verb. Nobody is doing anything — the sea is simply in view.
Thingが＋見られる
その映画はネットで見られます. The potential of 見る — the chance exists, so you can take it.
見＋れる
Common in conversation, but often avoided in edited standard writing. The short form generally has only the potential reading; usage and acceptance vary by setting.
Adjective ／ Nounに／く＋見える
元気に見える, 若く見える. A third job: how something appears, rather than whether it is visible.
Meaning
Spontaneous, potential, and the appearance sense
見える is an independent verb. It means something is visible: 富士山が見える. 富士山が見られる is also natural when the opportunity or conditions for seeing Mount Fuji are in focus.
見られる is about opportunity. The film is showing, the exhibition is open, the seat has a view — some circumstance permits the watching. It is the ordinary potential of 見る, so it implies a chance you could take or miss.
A useful test is whether the sentence focuses on visibility or opportunity. If the thing simply appeared, 見える. If a person could choose to look and now can, 見られる. The same star can be described with either verb when the viewpoint changes.
The same split runs through hearing.聞こえる is a sound arriving — 音が聞こえる. 聞ける is getting to listen — その曲はここで聞けます. Learn one pair and the other comes free.
〜く／に見える is a third job.若く見える, 元気に見える — how somebody strikes you. Nothing to do with visibility; here 見える means “comes across as.”
Watch out
Where 見える and 見られる go wrong
富士山が見られる from a train window
富士山が見える focuses on visibility. 富士山が見られる can also be natural from a train when the opportunity or viewing conditions are the point.
Treating 見える as the potential of 見る
It is a separate verb. The potential of 見る is 見られる, and the two are not interchangeable even though English uses “can see” for both.
Using 見られる in writing as 見れる
見れる is standard in speech and still corrected in essays and exams. It does have one advantage — it cannot be misread as the passive.
Also asked
Questions people ask about 見える and 見られる
What is the quickest test?
Ask whether the focus is visibility or opportunity. 見える means “is visible”; 見られる can mean “can see” given the conditions.
Is 見える a potential form?
No. It is its own verb, which is why it has no passive reading and why it never means “was allowed to see.” The potential of 見る is 見られる.
How do I tell 見られる potential from 見られる passive?
Context, and the particles. An agent marked に means passive — 人に見られた, I was seen. A thing on が with no agent means potential.
Do 聞こえる and 聞ける work the same way?
Exactly the same. 聞こえる is a sound reaching you; 聞ける is getting the chance to listen — and it also means being able to ask.
What about 見えない vs 見られない?
見えない means it is not in view — too dark, too far, something in the way. 見られない means you cannot get the chance — sold out, blocked, no time.
Why is it 若く見える and not 若いに見える?
An い-adjective becomes adverbial with く. Nouns and な-adjectives take に instead: 元気に見える, 学生に見える.
