Indirect Passive: The 'Suffering' Passive
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use the Indirect Passive to express that you were negatively affected by someone else's action.
- Target the person affected as the subject (marked with は).
- Use the passive form of the verb (e.g., {食べる|たべる} -> {食べられる|たべられる}).
- The person who did the action is marked with に.
Overview
Japanese grammar often emphasizes the speaker's perspective and emotional involvement in an event. The Indirect Passive (迷惑の受身, {めいわくのうけみ}), frequently termed the "Suffering Passive," is a prime example of this linguistic characteristic. Unlike the direct passive, which objectively describes an action happening to a subject (e.g., "The book was read"), the indirect passive specifically highlights that an action undertaken by someone or something else has caused undesirable impact or inconvenience to the grammatical subject.
It shifts the focus from the action itself to the negative experience of the person affected.
This grammatical pattern allows you to express personal distress, annoyance, or an unexpected burden caused by an external event or agent. It's not just about what happened, but how what happened affected you negatively. Linguistically, it provides a means to express a subjective interpretation of an event, even if the action itself was not directly aimed at causing harm.
Understanding the indirect passive is crucial for grasping the nuanced emotional landscape often conveyed in Japanese communication, especially when discussing grievances or unexpected difficulties.
For instance, while in English you might say, "My younger brother ate my pudding," the Japanese indirect passive would frame it closer to "I had my pudding eaten by my younger brother," explicitly centering your negative experience as the primary narrative. This emphasizes your position as the one who suffered the pudding's loss. Mastering this form will enable you to articulate personal inconvenience and subtly complain in a way that is idiomatic to native Japanese speakers.
Conjugation Table
| Verb Group | Dictionary Form | Passive Form (Plain) | Passive Form (Polite) | Passive Form (Negative) | Passive Form (Past) | Passive Form (Te-form) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| :----------- | :---------------- | :--------------------- | :---------------------- | :------------------------ | :-------------------- | :----------------------- | ||
| Group 1 (Godan/U-verbs) | 書く {かく} (to write) |
書かれる {かかれる} |
書かれます {かかれます} |
書かれない {かかれない} |
書かれた {かかれた} |
書かれて {かかれて} |
||
話す {はなす} (to speak) |
話される {はなされる} |
話されます {はなされます} |
話されない {はなされない} |
話された {はなされた} |
話されて {はなされて} |
|||
飲む {のむ} (to drink) |
飲まれる {のまれる} |
飲まれます {のまれます} |
飲まれない {のまれない} |
飲まれた {のまれた} |
飲まれて {のまれて} |
|||
待つ {まつ} (to wait) |
待たれる {またれる} |
待たれます {またれます} |
待たれない {またれない} |
待たれた {またれた} |
待たれて {またれて} |
|||
買う {かう} (to buy) |
買われる {かわれる} |
買われます {かわれます} |
買われない {かわれない} |
買われた {かわれた} |
買われて {かわれて} |
|||
| Group 2 (Ichidan/Ru-verbs) | 食べる {たべる} (to eat) |
食べられる {たべられる} |
食べられます {たべられます} |
食べられない {たべられない} |
食べられた {たべられた} |
食べられて {たべられて} |
||
見る {みる} (to see) |
見られる {みられる} |
見られます {みられます} |
見られない {みられない} |
見られた {みられた} |
見られて {みられて} |
|||
| Irregular Verbs | する (to do) |
される {される} |
されます {されます} |
されない {されない} |
された {された} |
されて {されて} |
||
来る {くる} (to come) |
来られる {こられる} |
来られます {こられます} |
来られない {こられない} |
来られた {こられた} |
来られて {こられて} |
How This Grammar Works
は {わ} or が {が}.に {に}. This に indicates the source of the action, similar to "by" in English passive sentences. Crucially, the object of the original active sentence, the thing directly affected by the agent's action, retains its を {を} particle.が {が}. The verb itself is then conjugated into its passive form.[Sufferer] は/が [Agent] に [Object] を [Passive Verb].弟が私のアイスを食べた。 {おとうとがわたしのアイスをたべた。} (My younger brother ate my ice cream.), the indirect passive becomes 私は弟に私のアイスを食べられた。 {わたしはおとうとにわたしのアイスをたべられた。}. Here, 私 {わたし} (I) is the sufferer/subject, 弟 {おとうと} (younger brother) is the agent (marked by に), 私のアイス {わたしのアイス} (my ice cream) is the object (marked by を), and 食べられた {たべられた} is the passive form of 食べる {たべる}. The sentence clearly conveys your emotional displeasure.Formation Pattern
u-sound of the verb stem to its equivalent a-sound and add れる {れる}. For verbs ending in う (e.g., 買う {かう}), the う changes to わ before adding れる. For example, 書く {かく} (kaku) becomes 書かれる {かかれる} (kakareru). 読む {よむ} (yomu) becomes 読まれる {よまれる} (yomareru). And 買う {かう} (kau) becomes 買われる {かわれる} (kawareru).
る {る} and add られる {られる}. For example, 食べる {たべる} (taberu) becomes 食べられる {たべられる} (taberareru). 見る {みる} (miru) becomes 見られる {みられる} (mirareru). This longer suffix helps distinguish it from Group 1 verbs.
する {する} (suru) becomes される {される} (sareru), and 来る {くる} (kuru) becomes 来られる {こられる} (korareru). In casual speech, 来られる {こられる} is sometimes contracted to 来れる {これる} but this is technically the potential form and not standard for passive.
[Sufferer] は/が [Agent] に [Object] を [Passive Verb]. The は/が marks the person negatively affected, に marks the doer of the action, and を marks the object. For example, 隣の犬に庭を荒らされた。 {となりのいぬににわをあらされた。} (I had my garden messed up by the neighbor's dog.) Here, 私 {わたし} (I, implied subject) is the sufferer, 隣の犬 {となりのいぬ} is the agent, 庭 {にわ} is the object, and 荒らされた {あらされた} is the passive verb.
When To Use It
- Unwanted actions by others: When someone does something that affects your property or plans negatively. For instance, if your colleague uses your stapler without asking, you might internally or externally feel
ホッチキスを使われた。{ホッチキスをつかわれた。}(My stapler was used [by someone/them]). This conveys your annoyance more than a neutralホッチキスが使われた{ホッチキスがつかわれた。}(The stapler was used).
- Disruption of personal peace or schedule: This is particularly common. If a baby cries loudly on a train, preventing you from sleeping, you would use
赤ちゃんに泣かれて、眠れなかった。{あかちゃんになかれて、ねむれなかった。}(I couldn't sleep because the baby cried). Here,泣く{なく}(to cry) is an intransitive verb, but the indirect passive allows you to express the personal suffering caused by this action. This is a crucial distinction from English passive voice capabilities.
- Natural phenomena causing inconvenience: Even non-human agents can be marked with
にwhen they cause you trouble.雨に降られて、服がびしょ濡れになった。{あめにふられて、ふくがびしょぬれになった。}(I got caught in the rain, and my clothes got soaked). Here,雨{あめ}(rain) is the agent of inconvenience, using the intransitive verb降る{ふる}(to fall).
- Loss or damage of possessions: When your belongings are stolen or broken.
泥棒に財布を盗まれた。{どろぼうにさいふをぬすまれた。}(My wallet was stolen by a thief). Here, the focus is on your loss and the negative experience rather than just the fact of the wallet being stolen. This makes it a very common structure in daily conversation to recount unfortunate events.
- Unexpected or burdensome requests: If your boss asks you to work overtime, and you feel inconvenienced, you could say
残業をさせられた。{ざんぎょうをさせられた。}(I was made to do overtime). While this can sometimes overlap with causative passive, when it implies pure inconvenience without direct compulsion, it functions as an indirect passive, focusing on the negative impact on you.
Common Mistakes
- Using it for positive or neutral events: The most frequent mistake is applying the indirect passive to situations where the outcome is favorable or simply factual. The indirect passive inherently carries a negative connotation of suffering or inconvenience. If someone does something good for you, or you merely observe a neutral event, do not use this form. For positive actions where someone does you a favor, use the
〜てもらう{ていただく}structure (e.g.,友達に手伝ってもらった。{ともだちにてもつだってもらった。}– My friend helped me, implying you received a favor). - Incorrect:
先生に褒められた。{せんせいにほめられた。}(I was praised by the teacher.) While grammatically passive, it doesn't imply suffering. A neutral passive is acceptable here, or先生が褒めてくれた。{せんせいがほめてくれた。}(The teacher praised me), or先生に褒めてもらった。{せんせいにほめてもらった。}(I received the favor of the teacher praising me) if you want to emphasize the favor.
- Confusing
にandをparticles: Learners often struggle with correctly assigningにto the agent andをto the object, especially when dealing with both. Remember the structure:[Sufferer] は/が [Agent] に [Object] を [Passive Verb]. The object always retainsをin the indirect passive. If you say私は弟に食べられた。{わたしはおとうとにたべられた。}(I was eaten by my younger brother), it implies you yourself were consumed, which is likely not the intended meaning. You mean私は弟にアイスを食べられた。{わたしはおとうとにアイスをたべられた。}(I had my ice cream eaten by my younger brother).
- Overgeneralizing its use: While powerful, the indirect passive is not a universal substitute for all passive constructions. It specifically conveys personal suffering. Using it in contexts where no such emotional impact is intended can make your speech sound overly dramatic or whiny to a native speaker. For objective statements of fact, the direct passive is more appropriate.
- Misinterpreting intransitive verb usage: While the ability to use indirect passive with intransitive verbs (
雨に降られる{あめにふられる}) is unique, ensure the 'sufferer' is clearly established as the subject. The implied subject is often私{わたし}, but if omitted, context must make it clear who is being inconvenienced.
Contrast With Similar Patterns
- Direct Passive (
直接受身,chokusetsu ukemi): The fundamental difference lies in focus and particle usage. The direct passive describes an action that happens to the subject without necessarily implying negative impact on the speaker or an external "sufferer." The object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence and is marked byが{が}orは{わ}. The agent is still marked byに. - Active:
猫が魚を食べた。{ねこがさかなをたべた。}(The cat ate the fish.) - Direct Passive:
魚が猫に食べられた。{さかながねこにたべられた。}(The fish was eaten by the cat.) - Focus on the fish; neutral statement. - Indirect Passive:
私は猫に魚を食べられた。{わたしはねこにさかなをたべられた。}(I had my fish eaten by the cat.) - Focus on my suffering because the fish was eaten.
を {を} marking the object is the key visual cue for the indirect passive.- The
〜てもらう{ていただく}Structure (Receiving a Favor): This structure is used when you receive a beneficial action or favor from someone. It expresses gratitude or appreciation for the action. Crucially, it conveys a positive or neutral experience, directly opposite to the indirect passive. - Positive Action:
友達に宿題を手伝ってもらった。{ともだちにしかしゅくだいをてつだってもらった。}(My friend helped me with my homework [and I'm thankful].) - Incorrect indirect passive:
友達に宿題を手伝われた。{ともだちにしかしゅくだいをてつだわれた。}(I had my homework helped by my friend [implying inconvenience or distress], which is unnatural and unidiomatic in this context).
〜てもらう when the action is desired or helpful.- Causative Passive (
使役受身,shieki ukemi): This complex form means "to be made to do something" or "to be forced to do something." It implies a strong sense of obligation or external compulsion, which can certainly lead to suffering, but the grammatical structure is different. The suffix is typically〜させられる{させられる}for Group 1 and irregular verbs, and〜せられる{せられる}(or often contracted to〜される) for Group 2 verbs. - Causative Passive:
先生に漢字を覚えさせられた。{せんせいにをかんじおぼえさせられた。}(I was made to memorize Kanji by the teacher.) - Implies force/obligation. - Indirect Passive (if applicable to a similar situation): Imagine a scenario where the teacher's act of teaching causes inconvenience, not forced memorization itself. It's difficult to construct a direct parallel without changing the core meaning. The causative passive explicitly denotes being compelled to act, while the indirect passive denotes being negatively affected by someone else's action.
Real Conversations
Understanding how the indirect passive appears in authentic Japanese communication is vital for both comprehension and natural production. It's a frequently used grammatical structure in casual speech, social media, and even more formal complaints.
- Casual Complaint about a Nuisance: This is where the indirect passive shines. Imagine someone complaining about their neighbor.
- 「うちの隣の犬に、毎晩吠えられてうるさいんだよ。」 {うちのとなりのいぬに、まいばんほえられてうるさいんだよ。}
- (My neighbor's dog barks every night, and it's so noisy [I'm bothered by it].)
Here, 吠えられる {ほえられる} (to be barked at) uses an intransitive verb, emphasizing the direct impact of the barking on the speaker's peace.
- Expressing Frustration over a Situation: When plans go awry due to unforeseen circumstances or others' actions.
- 「先週、財布をすられて、すごく困った。」 {せんしゅう、さいふをすられて、すごくこまった。}
- (Last week, my wallet got picked/stolen, and I was really troubled.)
すられる {すられる} (to be picked/stolen) is a passive form, with 財布を {さいふを} clearly marking the object that was lost due to the action of an unknown agent, and 私 {わたし} (I) as the implied sufferer.
- Social Media Commentary/Sharing Misfortunes: Online, people often share minor frustrations, making this form common.
- 「朝から電車が遅延して、会社に遅刻しちゃった。マジでやられたわ。」 {あさからでんしゃがちえんして、かいしゃにちこくしちゃった。マジでやられたわ。}
- (The train was delayed this morning, and I ended up being late for work. Seriously got done in [by the delay].)
やられた {やられた} (passive of やる {やる} - to do) is a very colloquial way to express being negatively affected or "screwed over" by a situation. The わ at the end adds a feminine, exasperated tone often seen in casual speech.
- Discomfort with Social Obligations: Sometimes, the "suffering" is from social pressure or unwanted invitations.
- 「また部長に飲みに誘われちゃったよ。今週は忙しいのに。」 {またぶちょうにのみにさそわれちゃったよ。こんしゅうはいそがしいのに。}
- (My boss invited me to go drinking again [and I feel bothered by it]. Even though I'm busy this week.)
誘われちゃった {さそわれちゃった} combines the passive 誘われる {さそわれる} (to be invited) with 〜ちゃう {ちゃう} (a contraction of 〜てしまう {てしまう}), adding a nuance of regret or completion, highlighting the speaker's negative feelings about the unavoidable invitation.
These examples illustrate that the indirect passive is versatile, allowing speakers to subtly express their emotional state and personal grievances in a wide range of everyday scenarios without needing overtly strong negative adjectives.
Progressive Practice
Integrating the indirect passive into your active Japanese vocabulary requires deliberate practice. Start by recognizing situations in your daily life where you feel inconvenienced or negatively affected by external actions. Then, work through a mental or written transformation process.
Identify the "Sufferer": In an indirect passive sentence, you (or the grammatical subject) are the one feeling the negative impact. Make this the は/が particle's referent.
Identify the "Agent": Who or what caused the inconvenience? This will be marked by に {に}. Remember, this can be a person, an animal, or even a natural phenomenon.
Identify the "Object" (if present): What specific thing was affected by the agent's action? This will keep its を {を} particle. If it's an intransitive verb, there might not be a direct object.
Determine the verb and its passive form: Conjugate the active verb into its appropriate passive form, paying close attention to verb group rules.
Practice transforming active to indirect passive:
- Active: 子供が私のケーキを食べた。 {こどもがわたしのケーキをたべた。} (The child ate my cake.)
- Step 1 (Sufferer): 私 {わたし} (implied or stated)
- Step 2 (Agent): 子供 {こども} (子供に {こどもに})
- Step 3 (Object): 私のケーキ {わたしのケーキ} (私のケーキを {わたしのケーキを})
- Step 4 (Passive Verb): 食べる {たべる} → 食べられる {たべられる}
- Result: 私は子供に私のケーキを食べられた。 {わたしはこどもにわたしのケーキをたべられた。} (I had my cake eaten by the child.)
- Active (Intransitive): 雨が降った。 {あめがふった。} (Rain fell.)
- Step 1 (Sufferer): 私 {わたし}
- Step 2 (Agent): 雨 {あめ} (雨に {あめに})
- Step 3 (Object): None.
- Step 4 (Passive Verb): 降る {ふる} → 降られる {ふられる}
- Result: 私は雨に降られて、風邪をひいた。 {わたしはあめにふられて、かぜをひいた。} (I got caught in the rain and caught a cold.)
Listen actively: Pay attention to how native speakers use this form in dramas, anime, podcasts, or daily conversations. Notice the contexts and emotional tones associated with it. This passive exposure will help solidify your intuitive understanding.
Quick FAQ
- Q: Is the indirect passive always negative?
- A: For modern Japanese and at the B1 level, you should consider the indirect passive to be overwhelmingly negative, indicating suffering or inconvenience. While very rare, highly formal, or archaic literary contexts might present exceptions, using it in everyday conversation for positive outcomes will sound unnatural or even sarcastic. Always default to conveying a negative impact.
- Q: Can I use the indirect passive if the agent is unknown or unstated?
- A: Yes, absolutely. If the agent is clear from context, unknown, or unimportant, it can be omitted. The focus remains on the sufferer's experience. For example,
昨日、自転車を盗まれた。{きのう、じてんしゃをぬすまれた。}(Yesterday, my bicycle was stolen.) Here,誰か{だれか}(someone) is the implied agent, but omitting it doesn't change the meaning of your personal loss. Similarly,急に割り込まれて、イライラした。{きゅうにわりこまれて、イライラした。}(I got cut off suddenly and was irritated.) The agent (the car/person who cut you off) is unstated but understood.
- Q: What if the action itself is neutral, but I still feel negatively about it?
- A: This is precisely the core utility of the indirect passive. The objective event (e.g., rain falling, a child crying, a friend inviting) might be neutral, but if your personal experience of that event is one of inconvenience, frustration, or suffering, the indirect passive is the appropriate structure. The grammar allows you to express that subjective, negative impact.
例えば、友達に電話がかかってきて、大事な話が中断された。{たとえば、ともだちのでんわがかかってきて、だいじなはなしがちゅうだんされた。}(For example, a call came from a friend, and an important conversation was interrupted.) Here, the call itself is neutral, but the interruption causes inconvenience.
- Q: Is there an equivalent to the indirect passive in English?
- A: Not a direct grammatical equivalent that carries the same nuance of "suffering" or "inconvenience" automatically. English uses phrases like "to have something done to one" (e.g., "I had my car stolen") or explicitly states the negative emotion (e.g., "I was bothered by the rain"). Japanese integrates this emotional layer directly into the passive verb form, particularly with intransitive verbs, which is a unique feature. The closest English can come is often by using additional phrases that express personal impact, but it rarely achieves the same conciseness and naturalness.
- Q: How does pitch accent play a role in the passive form?
- A: For most Group 1 verbs, changing to the passive form usually results in a flat accent (
_ _ _ _). For example,書く{か'く}(high-low) becomes書かれる{かかれる}(flat). For Group 2 verbs, the accent often stays similar to the original verb stem's final mora but extends with the new suffix. For instance,食べる{た'べる}(high-low) becomes食べられる{たべられる}(flat, often with a slight rise onら). However, pitch accent rules can be complex and have variations; at the B1 level, focusing on correct conjugation and particle usage is a higher priority. When in doubt, listen to native speakers or consult a pitch accent dictionary to confirm the natural pronunciation.
Passive Conjugation Table
| Verb Type | Active | Passive |
|---|---|---|
|
Godan
|
書く (kaku)
|
書かれる (kakareru)
|
|
Ichidan
|
食べる (taberu)
|
食べられる (taberareru)
|
|
Irregular
|
する (suru)
|
される (sareru)
|
|
Irregular
|
来る (kuru)
|
来られる (korareru)
|
Meanings
This construction indicates that the subject has been inconvenienced or suffered as a result of an action performed by someone else.
Inconvenience
Expressing that an action caused personal trouble.
“{雨|あめ}に{降|ふ}られた。”
“{隣|となり}の{人|ひと}に{騒|さわ}がれた。”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Victim は Culprit に Verb-Passive
|
私 は 弟 に ケーキ を 食べられた
|
|
Negative
|
Victim は Culprit に Verb-Passive-Negative
|
私 は 弟 に ケーキ を 食べられなかった
|
|
Question
|
Victim は Culprit に Verb-Passive か?
|
私 は 弟 に ケーキ を 食べられたか?
|
|
Past
|
Victim は Culprit に Verb-Passive-Past
|
私 は 弟 に ケーキ を 食べられた
|
Formality Spectrum
騒音に悩まされました。 (Neighbor noise)
騒がれました。 (Neighbor noise)
うるさくされた。 (Neighbor noise)
マジでうるさかった。 (Neighbor noise)
The Suffering Passive Map
Subject
- 被害者 Victim
Agent
- 加害者 Culprit
Examples by Level
{雨|あめ}に{降|ふ}られました。
I was rained on.
{子供|こども}に{泣|な}かれました。
The child cried (and it bothered me).
{犬|いぬ}に{吠|ほ}られました。
The dog barked at me (and it was annoying).
{人|ひと}に{押|お}されました。
I was pushed by someone.
{友達|ともだち}に{来|こ}られました。
My friend came over (uninvited/inconveniently).
{隣|となり}の{人|ひと}に{騒|さわ}がれました。
The neighbor made noise.
{先生|せんせい}に{叱|しか}られました。
I was scolded by the teacher.
{弟|おとうと}に{本|ほん}を{読|よ}まれました。
My brother read my book (without permission).
{旅行|りょこう}の{間|あいだ}に{泥棒|どろぼう}に{入|はい}られました。
My house was broken into while I was traveling.
{会議|かいぎ}で{上司|じょうし}に{批判|ひはん}されました。
I was criticized by my boss in the meeting.
{電車|でんしゃ}で{足|あし}を{踏|ふ}まれました。
My foot was stepped on on the train.
{彼女|かのじょ}に{待|ま}たされました。
I was made to wait by my girlfriend.
{大切|たいせつ}な{書類|しょるい}を{同僚|どうりょう}に{捨|す}てられました。
My important documents were thrown away by a colleague.
{夜中|よなか}に{電話|でんわ}を{かけ|かけ}られました。
I was called in the middle of the night.
{大切|たいせつ}な{時間|じかん}を{無駄|むだ}にされました。
My precious time was wasted by them.
{計画|けいかく}を{勝手|かって}に{変|か}えられました。
My plans were changed without my permission.
{信頼|しんらい}していた{人|ひと}に{裏切|うらぎ}られました。
I was betrayed by someone I trusted.
{一方的|いっぽうてき}に{話|はな}を{進|すす}められました。
The conversation was pushed forward unilaterally.
{期待|きたい}を{裏切|うらぎ}られました。
My expectations were let down.
{プライバシー|ぷらいばしー}を{侵害|しんがい}されました。
My privacy was infringed upon.
{長年|ながねん}の{努力|どりょく}を{無|む}にされました。
My years of effort were rendered meaningless.
{世間|せけん}から{冷|つめ}たい{目|め}で{見|み}られました。
I was looked at coldly by society.
{言葉|ことば}の{端々|はしばし}に{皮肉|ひにく}を{込|こ}められました。
Sarcasm was woven into every word they said to me.
{運命|うんめい}に{翻弄|ほんろう}されました。
I was toyed with by fate.
Easily Confused
Both use the same conjugation.
Both involve 'reru'.
Both involve receiving.
Common Mistakes
ケーキが食べられた
ケーキを食べられた
弟にケーキを食べた
弟にケーキを食べられた
私を弟に食べられた
私は弟に食べられた
弟が食べられた
私は弟に食べられた
雨が降った
雨に降られた
猫に寝られた
猫に寝られた (Wait, this is correct, but check context)
先生に叱った
先生に叱られた
プレゼントをもらわれた
プレゼントをもらった
彼に会われた
彼に会った
雨に降られたが、嬉しかった
雨に降られたが、困った
彼に愛された
彼に愛された (Wait, this is direct passive)
状況を理解された
状況を理解させられた
彼に死なれた
彼に死なれた (Correct, but sensitive)
Sentence Patterns
私は ___ に ___ されました。
___ に ___ られて、困りました。
せっかくの ___ を ___ されました。
___ に ___ られた時は、本当にショックでした。
Real World Usage
今日、雨に降られた！
友達に待たされた。
前職でプロジェクトを任されました。
注文を間違えられました。
電車を遅延させられました。
会議で意見を否定されました。
Focus on the victim
Avoid positive contexts
Use 'ni' for the culprit
Indirectness
Smart Tips
Use the passive to sound more natural.
List your grievances using passive.
Use passive to describe office issues.
Use passive to show societal impact.
Pronunciation
Passive endings
Ensure the 're' in 'reru/rareru' is clear.
Complaint
Verb-passive + falling intonation
Expresses resignation or annoyance.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of the 'ni' particle as a 'needle' poking you—the victim.
Visual Association
Imagine a person standing in the rain (the culprit) while you (the victim) are getting soaked and looking annoyed.
Rhyme
When you feel the pain and the woe, use the passive to let them know.
Story
Taro was having a nice day. Then, his cat jumped on his laptop. Taro was annoyed. He said: 'I was jumped on by my cat.'
Word Web
Challenge
Write 3 sentences about things that annoyed you today using the passive form.
Cultural Notes
This grammar reflects the Japanese cultural value of 'meiwaku' (inconvenience). It is a way to express frustration indirectly.
The passive voice in Japanese evolved from the verb 'uru' (to receive).
Conversation Starters
今日、何か困ったことはありましたか？
最近、誰かに迷惑をかけられましたか？
雨に降られたことはありますか？
電車で誰かに足を踏まれたことはありますか？
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
私は弟にケーキを___。
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
私は猫にプレゼントをもらわれた。
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
I was pushed by someone.
Answer starts with: 人に押...
A: どうしたの？ B: ___
Use '隣の人' and '騒ぐ'.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercises私は弟にケーキを___。
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
私は猫にプレゼントをもらわれた。
弟 / ケーキ / 食べられた / 私は / に
I was pushed by someone.
A: どうしたの？ B: ___
Use '隣の人' and '騒ぐ'.
食べる -> ?
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercisesI had my diary ___ by my mom. 母に日記を______。
Arrange: {男の人|otoko no hito} / {私|watashi} / {踏まれた|fumareta} / {に|ni} / {は|wa} / {足|ashi} / {を|o}
{父|ちち}___ パソコンを壊された。 (My dad broke my PC / I had my PC broken by dad)
{妹|いもうと}に{泣|な}かれた (I was cried by my little sister - U-verb 'naku')
{みんな|minna} {に|ni} {笑|わら}われました。
My boss came to the office on my day off (and it annoyed me). 休みの日に上司に______。
Match the pairs
Since it was my birthday, I was given a present by him. {誕生日|たんじょうび}だから、{彼|かれ}にプレゼントを{渡|わた}されました。
{蚊|ka} ___ {刺|sa}された。
I had a prank done to me. いたずらを______。
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
No, it is strictly for negative or annoying situations.
You can omit the culprit or use 'someone'.
It can be used in both formal and informal settings.
Because it implies the subject suffered.
Direct passive focuses on the object.
Yes, but be careful with the tone.
Yes, very common for complaints.
It will sound like you didn't want the gift.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Pasiva refleja
Japanese passive is specifically for negative experiences.
Passif
Japanese passive is subjective.
Passiv
Japanese passive is emotional.
Bei-construction
Japanese passive is more versatile.
Majhul
Japanese passive is pragmatic.
Passive voice
Japanese passive is for emotional impact.
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
![[2025] If you're starting video editing now, this is the software for you! A thorough explanation...](https://sublearn.com/storage/thumbnails/MAk0ZCNCgV0.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...
