Japanese Direct Passive: Being Acted Upon (直接受身)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
The Direct Passive turns an object into the subject, showing that someone or something was acted upon.
- Godan verbs: Change the final 'u' to 'a' and add 'reru' (e.g., {書く|かく} -> {書かれる|かかれる}).
- Ichidan verbs: Drop 'ru' and add 'rareru' (e.g., {食べる|たべる} -> {食べられる|たべられる}).
- Irregular verbs: {する|する} becomes {される|される} and {来る|くる} becomes {来られる|こられる}.
Overview
The Japanese Direct Passive, known as 直接受身 ちょくせつじゅしん, is a grammatical construction that shifts focus from the actor to the recipient of an action. Unlike the English passive, which frequently de-emphasizes the actor, the Japanese direct passive often conveys the subject's experience or impact from the action. This can range from negative imposition to neutral observation or even positive reception.
Mastering this form is essential for conveying nuanced perspectives in Japanese, a language inherently focused on social context and interpersonal dynamics.
This grammatical pattern reflects a fundamental difference in linguistic perspective. While the active voice (能動態 のうどうたい) prioritizes the agent, the direct passive highlights the individual or entity undergoing the action. This emphasis on the receiver's experience is a hallmark of Japanese communication, allowing for expressions of empathy, humility, or subtle complaint.
Understanding this underlying philosophy is crucial for B1 learners moving beyond simple declarative sentences.
Conjugation Table
| Verb Group | Dictionary Form (辞書形) | Passive Form (受身形) | Example | Meaning | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| :----------- | :------------------------ | :------------------------ | :----------------------------------------------------- | :----------------------------------------------------- | |||||
| Godan (Group 1) | Replace final う with あ + れる |
書く {かく |
kaku} -> 書かれる {かかれる |
kakareru} | 先生に書かれた {せんせいに書かれた |
sensei ni kakareta} | "(was) written by the teacher" | ||
(Exception: う -> わ + れる) |
言う {いう |
iu} -> 言われる {いわれる |
iwareru} | 誰かに言われた {だれかにいわれた |
dareka ni iwareta} | "(was) told by someone" | |||
| Ichidan (Group 2) | Drop final る + られる |
食べる {たべる |
taberu} -> 食べられる {たべられる |
taberareru} | 子供に食べられた {こどもに食べられた |
kodomo ni taberareta} | "(was) eaten by the child" | ||
| Irregular | Specific forms | する {する |
suru} -> される {される |
sareru} | 社長にされる {しゃちょうにされる |
shachō ni sareru} | "(is) done by the boss" | ||
来る {くる |
kuru} -> 来られる {こられる |
korareru} | 友達に来られた {ともだちに来られた |
tomodachi ni korareru} | "(was) come by a friend" |
How This Grammar Works
に に, indicating the source.山田さんが手紙を書いた やまださんがてがみをかいた. Here, Yamada-san is the agent, 手紙 てがみ is the direct object, and 書いた かいた is the active verb. When converting this to the direct passive, 手紙 becomes the new subject, and Yamada-san becomes the agent marked by に.(Agent) が (Object) を (Active Verb)泥棒が財布を盗んだ。 どろぼうがさいふをぬすんだ (A thief stole my wallet.)
泥棒どろぼう (thief) is the agent.財布さいふ (wallet) is the object.盗んだぬすんだ (stole) is the active verb.
(Original Object / New Subject) は (Original Agent) に (Passive Verb)財布は泥棒に盗まれた。 さいふはどろぼうにぬすまれた (The wallet was stolen by the thief.)
財布さいふ is now the subject (は), the focus of the sentence.泥棒どろぼう is the agent, now marked byにに.盗まれたぬすまれた is the verb in its passive form.
を を particle in the passive sentence; the original object has become the subject, rendering を superfluous. The に particle is crucial for identifying the performer of the passive action. The direct passive always describes a single action directly affecting the subject.間接受身 かんせつじゅしん), which will be discussed later.部長が私を叱った ぶちょうがわたしをしかった (The section chief scolded me), 私は部長に叱られた わたしはぶちょうにしかられた (I was scolded by the section chief) emphasizes your experience of being scolded.Formation Pattern
-u sound of the dictionary form to the corresponding -a sound in the same consonant column, then add れる れる. Pitch accent often shifts to the れ syllable.
-a) + れる
行く いく (to go) → 行か + れる = 行かれる いかれる (to be gone to/visited)
その場所はあまり人に行かれない。 そのばしょはあまりひとにいかれない (That place isn't visited much by people.)
話す はなす (to speak) → 話さ + れる = 話される はなされる (to be spoken to/talked about)
彼はよく友達に話される。 かれはよくともだちにはなされる (He's often spoken to by his friends.)
待つ まつ (to wait) → 待た + れる = 待たれる またれる (to be waited for)
約束の時間に彼女に待たれた。 やくそくのじかんにかのじょにまたれた (I was waited for by her at the appointed time.)
う う
う う, the う changes to わ わ before れる れる is added. This irregular transformation must be memorized.
言う いう (to say) → 言わ + れる = 言われる いわれる (to be said/told)
彼の冗談に言われて笑った。 かれのじょうだんにいわれてわらった (I laughed, having been told his joke.)
買う かう (to buy) → 買わ + れる = 買われる かわれる (to be bought)
この本は世界中で買われている。 このほんはせかいじゅうでかわれている (This book is being bought all over the world.)
る る from the dictionary form and add られる られる. Pitch accent remains on the stem or shifts to the ら syllable.
られる
見る みる (to see) → 見 + られる = 見られる みられる (to be seen)
電車で変な人に見られた。 でんしゃでへんなひとにみられた (I was stared at by a strange person on the train.)
褒める ほめる (to praise) → 褒め + られる = 褒められる ほめられる (to be praised)
先生に褒められて嬉しかった。 せんせいにほめられてうれしかった (I was happy to be praised by the teacher.)
教える おしえる (to teach) → 教え + られる = 教えられる おしえられる (to be taught)
彼から大切なことを教えられた。 かれからたいせつなことをおしえられた (I was taught an important thing by him.)
する する (to do) → される される (to be done)
会議は急にされた。 かいぎはきゅうにされた (The meeting was suddenly held.)
来る くる (to come) → 来られる こられる (to be come to/to be visited/to have come)
友達が家に来られた。 ともだちがいえにこられた (My friend came to my house/My house was visited by a friend.) (Note: This specific example can be ambiguous and often interpreted as indirect passive depending on context, highlighting nuance.)
When To Use It
- Example:
私のレポートは先生に直された。わたしのレポートはせんせいに治された (My report was corrected by the teacher.) – Focus is on the report being corrected. - Example:
昨日、財布が盗まれた。きのうさいふがぬすまれた (Yesterday, my wallet was stolen.) – The focus is on the loss of the wallet, the thief is unknown/unimportant.
- Example:
子供に絵を破られた。こどもにえをやぶられた (My painting was torn by the child.) – The speaker feels bothered by the child's action. - Example:
先生に質問された。せんせいにしつもんされた (I was questioned by the teacher.) – Can imply a slight annoyance or being put on the spot, depending on context and tone.
に particle is typically absent, and the context makes the honorific intent clear.- Example:
社長が来られました。しゃちょうがこられました (The company president has come.) – Here,来られるis a respectful way of saying社長が来たしゃちょうがきた. - Example:
先生が書かれた本。せんせいが書かれたほん (A book written by the teacher.) –書かれたhere confers respect to the teacher.
- Example:
この山は雪で覆われている。このやまはゆきでおおわれている (This mountain is covered with snow.) - Example:
その事実は広く知られている。そのじじつはひろくしられている (That fact is widely known.)
Common Mistakes
～られる) is identical to their potential form (～られる). You must rely on context and particles to differentiate.- Passive:
このケーキは食べられた。このケーキはたべられた (This cake was eaten.) – Implies the cake was the recipient of the eating action. - Potential:
このケーキは食べられる。このケーキはたべられる (This cake can be eaten.) – Implies the ability to eat the cake. - Tip: If an agent with
にに is present, it's almost certainly passive.子供に食べられたこどもにたべられた is passive;子供が食べられるこどもがたべられる means "the child can eat." However,食べられるused without an agent and withoutをcould still be ambiguous, like inこの肉は食べられるこのにくはたべられる (This meat is edible/can be eaten).
に vs. で):で で to mark the agent instead of に に. While で can indicate the instrument or means, に is almost exclusively used for the agent of a passive verb.- Correct:
友達に誘われた。ともだちにさそわれた (I was invited by a friend.) - Incorrect:
友達で誘われた。ともだちでさそわれた (Grammatically awkward/wrong in this context.) - Exception: When the agent is a non-living entity or a natural force,
によってによって is often preferred overにto emphasize cause or means.台風によって家が壊された。たいふうによっていえがこわされた (The house was destroyed by the typhoon.)
- Natural Active:
私がその本を読んだ。わたしがそのほんをよんだ (I read that book.) - Awkward Passive:
その本は私に読まれた。そのほんはわたしによまれた (That book was read by me.) – While grammatically correct, it sounds unnatural unless there's a specific reason to emphasize the book's experience.
- Direct Passive:
私の傘は友達に壊された。わたしのかさはともだちにくさされた (My umbrella was broken by my friend.) – The umbrella was the direct object of the breaking. - Indirect Passive (Example):
私は友達に傘を壊された。わたしはともだちにかさをこわされた (I had my umbrella broken by my friend.) – Here, I am the subject, but the action (壊す) was done to my umbrella, affecting me indirectly. - Tip: If the verb is transitive and the subject of the passive sentence was the original direct object, it's direct. If the subject of the passive sentence wasn't the direct object but was affected by the direct object, it's indirect.
Contrast With Similar Patterns
直接受身) vs. Indirect Passive (間接受身)- Direct Passive: The subject of the passive sentence was the direct object of the original active sentence. The action directly affects the subject. It can be negative, neutral, or positive.
- Structure:
Subject は (Agent) に Verb-passive - Example Active:
父がそのケーキを食べた。ちちがそのケーキをたべた (Father ate that cake.) - Example Direct Passive:
そのケーキは父に食べられた。そのケーキはちちにたべられた (That cake was eaten by my father.) – The cake directly received the action of eating.
- Indirect Passive: The subject of the passive sentence was not the direct object of the original active sentence. Instead, the subject is indirectly affected (often negatively) by an action performed on something related to them (e.g., their possessions, family members, or even their personal space). The grammatical subject is the person experiencing the trouble.
- Structure:
Subject は (Agent) に Object を Verb-passive - Example Active:
弟が私の本を読んだ。おとうとがわたしのほんをよんだ (My younger brother read my book.) - Example Indirect Passive:
私は弟に本を読まれた。わたしはおとうとにほんをよまれた (I had my book read by my younger brother.) – Here,私(I) is the subject, but本(book) was the direct object of読む. The reading of the book affected me indirectly, causing annoyance.
直接受身) | Indirect Passive (間接受身) |を is absent (original object becomes subject) | を is present (original object remains object) |宿題は先生にチェックされた。 しゅくだいはせんせいにチェックされた (Homework was checked by the teacher.) | 私は宿題を先生にチェックされた。 わたしはしゅくだいをせんせいにチェックされた (I had my homework checked by the teacher [and it bothered me / put me in a bad spot]). |～られる).- Passive: Indicates being acted upon.
この料理は食べられますか。このりょうりはたべられますか (Is this dish eaten? / Is this dish edible? - often passive meaning if asking about general consumption). - Potential: Indicates ability.
私はこの料理を食べられます。わたしはこのりょうりをたべられます (I can eat this dish.)
- Tip: Context is paramount. The presence of
にに for an agent strongly points to passive. Without an explicit agent, the interpretation leans towards potential or a more general passive sense (e.g., "can be done," "is done").
自発) Form:自発 じはつ). This is not a direct passive but an inherent grammatical use.- Example:
故郷が思い出される。こきょうがおもいだされる (My hometown comes to mind spontaneously.) – This doesn't mean "My hometown was remembered by someone." It implies the memory arose naturally. - Common verbs:
思い出すおもいだす →思い出されるおもいだされる (to be reminded of),感じるかんじる →感じられるかんじられる (to be felt),考えるかんがえる →考えられるかんがえられる (to be considered/thought of).
Real Conversations
To truly grasp the direct passive, observe how native speakers integrate it into everyday communication. It's often used subtly to convey feelings or information without explicitly stating blame or making the speaker sound overly self-centered.
1. Expressing Mild Annoyance or Inconvenience (Common in casual speech):
- Scenario: A student talking about their professor.
- A: 先生、また課題増やしたんだよね。 せんせい、またかだいふやしたんだよね (The professor increased the assignments again, right?)
- B: うん、急に連絡されたから大変だよ。 うん、きゅうにれんらくされたからたいへんだよ (Yeah, it's tough because I was informed suddenly.)
- Observation: Here, 連絡された implies "I was suddenly contacted (by the professor)" and carries a nuance of inconvenience. B isn't blaming the professor directly, but expressing the impact of the sudden announcement.
2. Describing Events from the Receiver's Perspective (News/Reports):
- Scenario: A news article headline or report.
- Headline: 新幹線、強風で運転見合わされた。 しんかんせん、きょうふうでうんてんみあわされた (Shinkansen operation was suspended due to strong winds.)
- Observation: 見合わされた (passive of 見合わせる みあわせる, to suspend) focuses on the operation being affected, rather than explicitly stating "JR suspended operations." This is common in formal reporting where the agent might be obvious or less central than the event itself.
3. Sharing Personal Experiences (Often with a subtle hint of difficulty):
- Scenario: Friends discussing a party.
- A: 昨日のパーティー、楽しかった？ きのうのパーティー、たのしかった (Was yesterday's party fun?)
- B: うん、でも知らない人に変な話聞かれたから、ちょっと疲れた。 うん、でもしらないひとにへんなはなしきかれたから、ちょっとつかれた (Yeah, but I was asked strange questions by someone I didn't know, so I'm a bit tired.)
- Observation: 聞かれた きかれた (passive of 聞く きく, to ask/listen) implies B felt put on the spot or bothered by the questions. It's a subtle way to express discomfort.
4. Praise or Benefit (Less common than negative, but exists):
- Scenario: Talking about a good performance.
- プレゼン、部長に褒められたよ！ プレゼン、ぶちょうにほめられたよ (My presentation was praised by the section chief!)
- Observation: Here, 褒められた ほめられた clearly conveys a positive outcome from the speaker's perspective. The direct passive isn't exclusively for negative experiences.
Progressive Practice
Consistent practice is vital for internalizing the direct passive. Start with basic transformations and gradually integrate more nuanced usage. Focus on both mechanical conjugation and contextual application.
Phase 1: Basic Conjugation & Transformation
- Task: Take active sentences and convert them to direct passive. Identify the original object and make it the new subject. Mark the agent with に.
- Active: 友達が私の手帳を見た。 ともだちがわたしのてちょうをみた (My friend saw my planner.)
- Passive: 私の手帳は友達に見られた。 わたしのてちょうはともだちにみられた (My planner was seen by my friend.)
- Exercise: Conjugate a list of common Godan and Ichidan verbs into their passive forms until it becomes automatic. Pay special attention to the う → わ わ exception.
Phase 2: Contextual Application & Nuance
- Task: Describe situations from your daily life using the direct passive, focusing on moments where you or something you own was affected. Consider if the impact was negative, neutral, or positive.
- Example (Negative): 電車で隣の人に足を踏まれた。 でんしゃでとなりのひとにあしをふまれた (I had my foot stepped on by the person next to me on the train.)
- Example (Neutral): 発表はみんなに聞かれた。 はっぴょうはみんなにきかれた (The presentation was listened to by everyone.)
- Role-play: Practice short dialogues where one person describes an event using the active voice, and the other rephrases it using the direct passive to shift emphasis. For instance, A: 彼は私を助けた。 かれはわたしをたすけた (He helped me.) B: あなたは彼に助けられたのですね。 あなたはかれにたすけられたのですね (So you were helped by him.)
Phase 3: Differentiating Similar Structures
- Task: Given sentences, determine if they are direct passive, indirect passive, or potential form (for Ichidan verbs).
- Sentence 1: このビールは冷やさないと飲めない。 このビールはひやさないとのめない (If this beer isn't chilled, it can't be drunk.) → Potential (飲める のめる is potential of 飲む のむ).
- Sentence 2: 私は部長に資料を直された。 わたしはぶちょうにしりょうをなおされた (I had my documents corrected by the section chief.) → Indirect Passive (I am affected, but the action was done to the documents).
- Sentence 3: 資料は部長に直された。 しりょうはぶちょうになおされた (The documents were corrected by the section chief.) → Direct Passive (The documents were the direct object of the correction).
- Writing Exercise: Write short paragraphs describing a sequence of events. Intentionally use the direct passive in some sentences to highlight impact, and the active voice in others. Then, try rewriting those paragraphs to incorporate other passive forms or potential forms, practicing the distinctions.
Quick FAQ
に に) is often omitted when it is unknown, unimportant, or obvious from the context. This is very common, especially when expressing negative experiences or general facts.- Example:
私の傘が壊された。わたしのかさがこわされた (My umbrella was broken.) – The person who broke it is unknown or not the focus.
- Positive Example:
先生に褒められて嬉しかった。せんせいにほめられてうれしかった (I was happy to be praised by the teacher.)
に に and によって によって for the agent?に に is the general particle for marking the agent of a passive verb. によって によって emphasizes the agent as the means or cause of the action, often used for non-living agents, organizations, or when you want to make the agent sound more formal or like a driving force.犬に噛まれた。いぬにかまれた (I was bitten by a dog.) – Simple agentに.この建物は有名な建築家によって設計された。このたてものはゆうめいなけんちくかによってせっけいされた (This building was designed by a famous architect.) –によってimplies the architect as the creator/cause.
- Example:
友達が家に来た。ともだちがいえにきた (A friend came to my house.) - Passive-like usage:
友達に家に来られた。ともだちにいえるこられた (My friend came to my house [and it caused me some trouble/surprise].) – This is often treated as an indirect passive even though来るis intransitive, because家is associated with the speaker.
～られる is passive or potential?- Agent
に: If there's a living agent marked withに(e.g.,先生に,犬に), it's almost certainly passive. - Context: Does the sentence describe an action being done to the subject, or the subject's ability to do an action?
をparticle: If～られるis followed byを+ a transitive verb (e.g.,～られる+を+食べる), it's usually potential (食べられる+ご飯を). If it's a direct passive, the original object becomes the subject, soをdisappears.
Passive Conjugation Table
| Verb Type | Dictionary | Passive | Polite Passive |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Godan
|
書く
|
書かれる
|
書かれます
|
|
Godan
|
読む
|
読まれる
|
読まれます
|
|
Ichidan
|
食べる
|
食べられる
|
食べられます
|
|
Ichidan
|
見る
|
見られる
|
見られます
|
|
Irregular
|
する
|
される
|
されます
|
|
Irregular
|
来る
|
来られる
|
来られます
|
Common Contractions
| Full Form | Contraction |
|---|---|
|
食べられている
|
食べられてる
|
|
書かれている
|
書かれてる
|
Meanings
The direct passive is used to describe an action where the subject is the recipient of the action, often emphasizing the impact on the subject.
Direct Passive
The subject is directly affected by an action performed by someone else.
“{彼|かれ}は{先生|せんせい}に{褒|ほ}められた。”
“{私|わたし}は{母|はは}に{呼|よ}ばれた。”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Subject + は + Agent + に + Passive Verb
|
私は犬に噛まれた
|
|
Negative
|
Subject + は + Agent + に + Passive Verb (Negative)
|
私は叱られなかった
|
|
Past
|
Subject + は + Agent + に + Passive Verb (Past)
|
私は呼ばれました
|
|
Continuous
|
Subject + は + Agent + に + Passive Verb (te-iru)
|
私は愛されている
|
|
Question
|
Subject + は + Agent + に + Passive Verb (Question)
|
何か言われましたか？
|
Formality Spectrum
先生に叱られました。 (School)
先生に叱られた。 (School)
先生に叱られたよ。 (School)
先生に怒られたわ。 (School)
Passive Voice Flow
Agent
- に by
Recipient
- は subject
Examples by Level
{私|わたし}は{呼|よ}ばれました。
I was called.
{名前|なまえ}が{書|か}かれました。
The name was written.
{本|ほん}が{読|よ}まれました。
The book was read.
{ケーキ|けーき}が{食|た}べられました。
The cake was eaten.
{私|わたし}は{母|はは}に{叱|しか}られました。
I was scolded by my mother.
{彼|かれ}は{先生|せんせい}に{褒|ほ}められた。
He was praised by the teacher.
{財布|さいふ}が{盗|ぬす}まれました。
My wallet was stolen.
{私|わたし}は{雨|あめ}に{降|ふ}られた。
I got rained on.
{会議|かいぎ}で{意見|いけん}が{聞|き}かれた。
My opinion was asked at the meeting.
{私|わたし}は{友達|ともだち}に{待|ま}たされた。
I was made to wait by my friend.
{この|この}ビルは{1990年|せんきゅうひゃくきゅうじゅうねん}に{建|た}てられた。
This building was built in 1990.
{彼|かれ}は{皆|みんな}に{愛|あい}されている。
He is loved by everyone.
{計画|けいかく}が{変更|へんこう}されることになった。
It has been decided that the plan will be changed.
{彼|かれ}は{周囲|しゅうい}から{信頼|しんらい}されている。
He is trusted by those around him.
{私|わたし}は{隣人|りんじん}に{夜中|よなか}まで{騒|さわ}がれた。
I was bothered by my neighbor making noise until late at night.
{犯人|はんにん}は{警察|けいさつ}に{追|お}い{詰|つ}められた。
The criminal was cornered by the police.
{彼|かれ}の{功績|こうせき}は{後世|こうせい}に{語|かた}り{継|つ}がれるだろう。
His achievements will be passed down to future generations.
{私|わたし}は{彼|かれ}に{先|さき}を{越|こ}されてしまった。
I was beaten to it by him.
{この|この}{問題|もんだい}は{慎重|しんちょう}に{扱|あつか}われるべきだ。
This issue should be handled carefully.
{彼|かれ}の{言葉|ことば}に{心|こころ}を{動|うご}かされた。
I was moved by his words.
{古|ふる}い{慣習|かんしゅう}が{今|いま}も{守|まも}り{抜|ぬ}かれている。
Old customs are still being strictly upheld.
{彼|かれ}は{運命|うんめい}に{翻弄|ほんろう}された。
He was tossed about by fate.
{その|その}{事実|じじつ}は{隠|かく}し{通|とお}せるものではなかった。
That fact could not be kept hidden.
{私|わたし}は{彼|かれ}に{全|すべ}てを{奪|うば}い{去|さ}られた。
I had everything taken away from me by him.
Easily Confused
Both use 'rareru'.
Both describe states.
Both use 'rareru'.
Common Mistakes
私は犬を噛まれた
私は犬に噛まれた
ケーキが食べられた
ケーキを食べた
私は彼に愛した
私は彼に愛された
雨が降られた
雨に降られた
先生に褒めました
先生に褒められました
彼に会われた
彼に会った
宿題がされた
宿題をした
プレゼントを与えられた
プレゼントをくれた
窓が開けられている
窓が開いている
彼に言わせられた
彼に言わされた
彼は皆に尊敬する
彼は皆に尊敬されている
雨に降られた (in a good way)
雨が降ってくれた
Sentence Patterns
私は___に___されました。
___が___されました。
私は___に___させられました。
___は___に愛されています。
Real World Usage
銀行が襲われました。
待たされたよ！
東京で育てられました。
財布が盗まれました。
注文がキャンセルされました。
また雨に降られた。
Focus on the victim
Don't over-use
The 'ni' particle
Negative nuance
Smart Tips
Use the passive to emphasize your frustration.
Use the passive to keep the focus on the object.
Don't use the passive; use 'te-kureru'.
Use 'te-iru' for states.
Pronunciation
Passive Suffix
The 're' in 'reru' should be crisp, not drawn out.
Complaint
雨に降られた↘
Falling intonation shows resignation.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of the passive as being 'pushed' by someone. The 'a' sound in the verb is like a scream of 'Ah! I'm being acted on!'
Visual Association
Imagine a person standing still while a giant hand (the agent) pushes them. The person is the subject, and the hand is marked with 'ni'.
Rhyme
Godan change to 'a' then 'reru', Ichidan just add 'rareru'.
Story
Taro was eating a cake. Suddenly, a bird swooped down. Taro was surprised. The cake was eaten by the bird. Taro was left hungry.
Word Web
Challenge
Write 3 sentences about things that happened to you today using the passive (e.g., 'I was kept waiting by the bus').
Cultural Notes
The passive is deeply tied to the concept of 'meiwaku' (nuisance). Using it implies you were bothered.
Derived from the verb 'uru' (to receive/get).
Conversation Starters
子供の頃、先生に叱られたことがありますか？
最近、何か困ったことはありましたか？
この建物はいつ建てられましたか？
誰かに待たされた経験はありますか？
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
私は先生に___。(褒める)
私は犬___噛まれた。
Find and fix the mistake:
私は雨を降られた。
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
I was called by him.
Answer starts with: 私は彼...
食べる (Passive)
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Subject: 私, Agent: 友達, Verb: 待つ
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercises私は先生に___。(褒める)
私は犬___噛まれた。
Find and fix the mistake:
私は雨を降られた。
私 / 叱られた / 先生 / に
I was called by him.
食べる (Passive)
書く -> ?
Subject: 私, Agent: 友達, Verb: 待つ
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercises蚊(か)に ________。
[多くの人に] [私の投稿が] [「いいね」されました]
I was scolded by my mother.
Match the following:
Pick the right one:
{見れました|みれました}。
パーティーに ________。 (誘う - to invite)
I was helped by him.
Passive of suru:
[犬に] [男の人が] [噛まれました]
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
In Japanese, the passive is often used to express 'meiwaku' (nuisance). It implies the action happened to you against your will.
Yes, but it's less common than in English. Use 'te-iru' for states.
Yes, for Ichidan verbs. Context is key.
Look at the context. If there's an agent marked with 'ni', it's likely passive.
する becomes される, 来る becomes 来られる.
Avoid it. Use 'te-kureru' for favors.
Yes, it's very common in reports and academic papers.
It's a specific type of passive that emphasizes the speaker's suffering.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
ser + participio
Japanese passive implies negative nuance.
être + participe passé
Japanese passive is often used for intransitive verbs.
werden + Partizip II
Japanese passive is more flexible.
受身
N/A
Majhul
Arabic passive is purely grammatical.
被 (bèi)
Chinese 'bei' is almost always negative.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Learn These First
Japanese Passive Form: U-Verbs (Ukemi-kei)
Overview The Japanese passive form, known as `Ukemi-kei` (`受身形`), allows you to describe an action as being performed...
Japanese Passive Form: ru-verbs (～られる)
Japanese Passive Form: ru-verbs (～られる) Overview The Japanese passive voice, or `ukemi` ({受身|うけみ}), is a gramma...
Related Videos
![[Laughter and Discrimination] Why do people laugh when they are committing sexual assault? This i...](https://sublearn.com/storage/thumbnails/qwN-PKhbfIE.jpg)
Related Grammar Rules
Japanese Potential Form: Saying 'I Can' for ru-verbs (～られる)
Overview The **potential form** in Japanese expresses ability or possibility: "can do," "is able to do," or "it is possi...
Leaving Things Messy or Unfinished (~っぱなし)
Overview At the B2 level, your focus shifts from merely constructing correct sentences to conveying precise nuance, emo...
Becoming able to do something (～ようになる)
Overview Japanese grammar often provides tools to express not just actions, but the context and trajectory surrounding...
Formal Ability: Using 'Koto Ga Dekiru' (Can Do)
Overview In Japanese, expressing ability is nuanced, often going beyond a simple "can." While the potential form (e.g.,...
Japanese Passive Form: U-Verbs (Ukemi-kei)
Overview The Japanese passive form, known as `Ukemi-kei` (`受身形`), allows you to describe an action as being performed...
