～と言える
Say that a conclusion can reasonably be stated
You’ll be able to present a judgment as a defensible conclusion rather than an absolute fact.
山の上から見た朝日は、最高の景色だったと言えます。
yama no ue kara mita asahi wa, saikou no keshiki datta to iemasu.
What do you think this sentence means?
You could say the sunrise we saw from the mountaintop was the finest view.
State a reasonable conclusion
～と言える means "it can be said that..." or "one can reasonably claim that...". It presents a judgment or evaluation as defensible based on evidence.
日本は安全な国だと言える。
nihon wa anzen na kuni da to ieru.
It can be said that Japan is a safe country.
毎日歩くことは、健康にいいと言えるでしょう。
mainichi aruku koto wa, kenkou ni ii to ieru deshou.
It can probably be said that walking every day is good for your health.
Attach と言える to a plain clause
Attach と言える to plain forms of verbs, adjectives, or nouns (often with だ or である). Sentences often finish with でしょう, かもしれない, or だろう.
スマートフォンは生活に欠かせないものだと言えます。
sumaatofon wa seikatsu ni kakasenai mono da to iemasu.
It can be said that smartphones are indispensable in daily life.
この辞書は説明が分かりやすいので、初心者に向いていると言える。
kono jisho wa setsumei ga wakariyasui node, shoshinsha ni muite iru to ieru.
This dictionary’s explanations are easy to understand, so it can be said to suit beginners.
毎朝早く起きることは、時間を上手に使う方法の一つだと言えます。
maiasa hayaku okiru koto wa, jikan o jouzu ni tsukau houhou no hitotsu da to iemasu.
Getting up early every morning can be called one way of using your time well.
今年は客が去年の二倍になったので、店は成長したと言えるだろう。
kotoshi wa kyaku ga kyonen no nibai ni natta node, mise wa seichou shita to ieru darou.
Customers doubled compared with last year, so it’s fair to say the shop has grown.
7 more examples in the grammar path — free for a limited time.