Saying What Something Is Made Of
- この机は木でできています。(This desk is made of wood.)
できる here is not "can do" — it is "to be made, to come into being." The material takes で, the same particle that marks means.
で or から?
Both appear, and the split is genuine:
| Particle | When | Example |
|---|---|---|
| で | the material is still visible | 木でできた机 (a wooden desk) |
| から | the material has been transformed | 米からできた酒 (sake made from rice) |
You can see the wood in the desk. You cannot see the rice in the sake. That is the test.
Always ている
The state form is what you want:
- ○ 木でできています
- △ 木でできます (sounds like "wood can do it")
Before a noun, use the た form: 木でできた机.
Formal Alternative: 作られる
In writing, the passive of 作る is common:
- この酒は米から作られています。(This sake is made from rice.)
Don't Confuse the Two できる
| Sentence | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 日本語ができます | I can speak Japanese (dekimasu) |
| 木でできています | It's made of wood (this page) |
Same verb, and only the particle and context separate them.