Japanese Passive Form: ru-verbs (～られる)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
The passive form (～られる) allows you to describe actions done to you or others, emphasizing the receiver over the doer.
- For ru-verbs, drop the final 'ru' and add 'rareru'. Example: {食べる|たべる} → {食べられる|たべられる}.
- The particle 'ni' marks the person who performed the action. Example: {犬|いぬ}に{食べられる|たべられる} (I was eaten by the dog).
- Passive verbs conjugate exactly like regular ru-verbs. Example: {食べられなかった|たべられなかった} (It wasn't eaten).
Overview
Japanese Passive Form: ru-verbs (～られる)
The Japanese passive voice, or ukemi (受身), is a grammatical construction that shifts the focus of a sentence from the agent performing an action to the recipient of that action. Unlike English, where the passive often conveys formality or an unknown agent, the Japanese passive carries a broader range of implications, including expressing annoyance, showing respect, or simply stating facts neutrally. For ru-verbs (also known as Group 2 or Ichidan verbs), forming the passive is consistently straightforward, making it a fundamental pattern for intermediate learners.
This form, ～られる, allows you to portray the subject of your sentence as being affected by an action, rather than actively performing it. This change in perspective is crucial for understanding nuanced communication in Japanese. You might use it to convey that you were inconvenienced by something, to speak respectfully about another's actions, or to describe events where the actor is unimportant or unknown.
Mastering ～られる for ru-verbs provides a reliable tool for expressing these various shades of meaning, serving as a stepping stone to more complex passive structures.
Conjugation Table
| Verb Type | Plain Form | Stem (remove る) |
Passive Form (Plain) | Passive Form (Polite) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| :-------------- | :---------------- | :-------------------- | :--------------------- | :---------------------- | ||||||
| ru-verb | `{食べる | たべる}` (to eat) | `{食べ | たべ}` | `{食べられる | たべられる}` | `{食べられます | たべられます}` | ||
| ru-verb | `{見る | みる}` (to see) | `{見 | み}` | `{見られる | みられる}` | `{見られます | みられます}` | ||
| ru-verb | `{着る | きる}` (to wear) | `{着 | き}` | `{着られる | きられる}` | `{着られます | きられます}` | ||
| ru-verb | `{褒める | ほめる}` (to praise) | `{褒め | ほめ}` | `{褒められる | ほめられる}` | `{褒められます | ほめられます}` | ||
| ru-verb | `{信じる | しんじる}` (to believe) | `{信じ | しんじ}` | `{信じられる | しんじられる}` | `{信じられます | しんじられます}` |
How This Grammar Works
Sensei ga watashi o hometa.), "The teacher praised me," 先生 is the agent and 私 is the object.に (ni), signifying "by" or "from." In more formal or specialized contexts, especially for inanimate agents or institutions, によって (ni yotte) may be used instead of に. This shift places the emphasis on the new subject's experience.Watashi wa sensei ni homerareta.), "I was praised by the teacher."私 (I) is no longer the object, but the subject who experienced being praised. The particle は (wa) marks this new subject. This grammatical structure allows you to construct sentences where the doer of the action is secondary, unknown, or deliberately downplayed.先生 is demoted, marked by に, and the focus shifts entirely to the subject 私 and the action 褒められた (was praised) that happened to me. This reorientation is key to understanding the various social and communicative functions of the Japanese passive.Formation Pattern
ru-verbs is one of the most straightforward conjugation patterns in Japanese, making it a reliable tool once you've identified the verb type. Ru-verbs (Group 2, or Ichidan verbs) are characterized by their dictionary form ending in る (ru), where the syllable immediately preceding る is either an e sound (e.g., tabe-ru) or an i sound (e.g., mi-ru).
ru-verb into its passive form, follow these simple steps:
る (ru) from the dictionary form of the ru-verb. For example, with 食べる (to eat), removing る leaves 食べ (tabe). With 見る (to see), removing る leaves 見 (mi).
られる: Attach られる (rareru) directly to the verb stem. So, 食べ becomes 食べられる (to be eaten), and 見 becomes 見られる (to be seen).
ru-verbs without exception. The resulting passive form is itself a ru-verb, meaning it can be further conjugated for tense, negation, and politeness using the standard ru-verb rules. For instance, the past tense of 食べられる is 食べられた (taberareta), and the negative polite form is 食べられません (taberaremasen). This regularity is a significant advantage for learners. You might hear 見られる (HLL: みられる) and 食べられる (HLL: たべられる).
始める (to start) → 始め → 始められる (to be started)
教える (to teach) → 教え → 教えられる (to be taught)
集める (to collect) → 集め → 集められる (to be collected)
When To Use It
～られる is used in a variety of contexts, each adding a distinct flavor to the communication. Understanding these nuanced applications is key to using the passive effectively and naturally.- The Affective Passive (迷惑の受身 - _meiwaku no ukemi_): This is perhaps the most distinctive and frequently used passive in Japanese. It conveys that the subject experienced an action performed by someone or something else, often resulting in an inconvenience, annoyance, or negative consequence. This is often called the "suffering passive," but it can also be used for unexpectedly positive experiences, although less commonly. The agent is marked by
に. - 「誰かにケーキを食べられた。」 (
Dareka ni keeki o taberareta.) – "My cake was eaten by someone (and I’m upset/affected)." (Implicit annoyance) - 「雨に降られた。」 (
Ame ni furareta.) – "I was rained on (and it was a bother)." (Lit: "By rain, it was rained [upon me]") - 「友達に旅行の計画を変えられた。」 (
Tomodachi ni ryokou no keikaku o kaerareta.) – "My travel plans were changed by my friend (and I was put out)."
- Honorific/Respectful Passive (尊敬語 - _sonkeigo_): The
～られるform can also function as a humble honorific. When used to describe actions performed by a superior or respected person, it elevates the status of that person. In this context, it implies respect for the agent's actions, and there is no negative connotation of suffering. This usage is common in formal settings, business, and when speaking about teachers, bosses, or elders. The agent is usually explicitly stated or clear from context. - 「先生がこの本を読まれた。」 (
Sensei ga kono hon o yomareta.) – "The teacher read this book." (Respectful way to say読んだ–yonda). - 「社長は毎朝6時に起きられます。」 (
Shachou wa maiasa roku-ji ni okiraremasu.) – "The company president wakes up at 6 AM every morning." (Respectful way to say起きます–okimasu). - 「お客様はもうお帰りになりましたか？」 (
Okyakusama wa mou okaeri ni narimashita ka?) – "Has the guest returned already?" (While～になるis more common,～られるcan be used here too, e.g.,帰られました).
- Objective/Factual Passive: Similar to English, this passive form is used when the agent of the action is unknown, unimportant, or intentionally omitted. The focus is purely on the action and its recipient, making the statement sound neutral and objective. This is prevalent in news reports, scientific articles, and announcements.
- 「このビルは10年前に建てられた。」 (
Kono biru wa juunen mae ni taterareta.) – "This building was built 10 years ago." (The builders are irrelevant). - 「新製品が来月から販売されます。」 (
Shinseihin ga raigetsu kara hanbai saremasu.) – "New products will be sold from next month." (The seller is not the focus). - 「盗まれた自転車はまだ見つかっていない。」 (
Nusumareta jitensha wa mitsukatte inai.) – "The stolen bicycle has not been found yet." (Who lost it is unknown).
- Indirect Passive (間接受身 - _kansetsu ukemi_): While the direct passive is about the subject being directly acted upon, the indirect passive involves something related to the subject being affected, which in turn affects the subject. This is often seen with intransitive verbs that normally cannot take an object. Though it doesn't always use
～られるforru-verbsdirectly with the core verb (it might involve au-verbin the passive form affectingru-verbaspects of the subject), its underlying principle of affecting the subject indirectly is important to recognize. For example, 「子供に泣かれた。」 (Kodomo ni nakareta.) – "My child cried (and it bothered me)." Here, the crying isn't done to the parent, but the parent is affected by the child's crying. This is a crucial distinction that deepens the
Ru-Verb Passive Conjugation
| Form | Affirmative | Negative | Past |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Dictionary
|
食べられる
|
食べられない
|
食べられた
|
|
Polite
|
食べられます
|
食べられません
|
食べられました
|
Meanings
The passive voice is used to shift focus from the agent of an action to the receiver. It is frequently used for negative experiences or formal reporting.
Direct Passive
The subject is the direct recipient of the action.
“{彼|かれ}は{皆|みんな}に{愛される|あいされる}。”
“{手紙|てがみ}が{書かれる|かかれる}。”
Suffering Passive
Used when an action causes trouble or inconvenience to the subject.
“{雨|あめ}に{降られる|ふられる}。”
“{泥棒|どろぼう}に{入られる|はいられる}。”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Verb-rareru
|
食べられる
|
|
Negative
|
Verb-rarenai
|
食べられない
|
|
Past
|
Verb-rareta
|
食べられた
|
|
Past Negative
|
Verb-rarenakatta
|
食べられなかった
|
|
Polite
|
Verb-raremasu
|
食べられます
|
|
Suffering
|
Agent-ni + Verb-rareru
|
雨に降られる
|
Formality Spectrum
招待されました。 (Party invitation)
招待されました。 (Party invitation)
招待された。 (Party invitation)
呼ばれたわ。 (Party invitation)
Passive Voice Logic
Usage
- 受身 Passive
- 迷惑 Inconvenience
Examples by Level
{私|わたし}は{褒められる|ほめられる}。
I am praised.
{ケーキ|けーき}が{食べられる|たべられる}。
The cake is eaten.
{名前|なまえ}が{呼ばれる|よばれる}。
My name is called.
{彼|かれ}は{愛される|あいされる}。
He is loved.
{雨|あめ}に{降られる|ふられる}。
I was rained on.
{泥棒|どろぼう}に{入られる|はいられる}。
I had a burglar break in.
{先生|せんせい}に{教えられる|おしえられる}。
I am taught by the teacher.
{誰|だれ}に{見られる|みられる}？
Who is being watched?
{隣|となり}の{人|ひと}に{騒がれる|さわがれる}。
I am bothered by the neighbor's noise.
{会議|かいぎ}で{意見|いけん}を{述べられる|のべられる}。
Opinions are expressed at the meeting.
{彼女|かのじょ}に{待たれる|またれる}。
I am waited for by her.
{そんなこと|そんなこと}は{信じられない|しんじられない}。
That cannot be believed.
{彼|かれ}は{周囲|しゅうい}から{尊敬される|そんけいされる}。
He is respected by those around him.
{私|わたし}の{PC|ぴーしー}が{使われる|つかわれる}。
My PC is being used (by someone).
{犯人|はんにん}が{捕らえられる|とらえられる}。
The criminal is caught.
{期待|きたい}される{選手|せんしゅ}。
An athlete who is expected to do well.
{歴史|れきし}に{残される|のこされる}。
It is left in history.
{不当|ふとう}に{扱われる|あつかわれる}。
To be treated unfairly.
{彼|かれ}の{言葉|ことば}に{動かされる|うごかされる}。
I am moved by his words.
{世界中|せかいじゅう}で{知られる|しられる}。
It is known all over the world.
{神|かみ}に{与えられる|あたえられる}。
It is given by God.
{運命|うんめい}に{翻弄される|ほんろうされる}。
To be toyed with by fate.
{伝統|でんとう}として{受け継がれる|うけつがれる}。
It is inherited as a tradition.
{沈黙|ちんもく}が{破られる|やぶられる}。
The silence is broken.
Easily Confused
Both use 'rareru'.
Common Mistakes
ケーキを食べられる
ケーキが食べられる
雨が降られる
雨に降られる
見られる (potential)
見られる (passive)
過剰な受身
Active voice
Sentence Patterns
___に___られる。
Real World Usage
雨に降られた！
～を任されました。
～にフォローされた。
～に案内されました。
～が配達される。
～が発表される。
Context is King
Smart Tips
Use the suffering passive to sound more natural.
Use passive to stay objective.
Use passive for focus.
Use passive for general statements.
Pronunciation
Rareru
Ensure the 'r' sounds are tapped, not rolled.
Falling
食べられる↓
Statement of fact.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'Rareru' as 'Rare-ru' (Rare rule). It's a rare, special rule for when things happen TO you.
Visual Association
Imagine a person standing in the rain. A giant cloud is pouring water on them. The person says, 'I am being rained on!' (雨に降られる).
Rhyme
When the action is done to you, add rareru and you're through.
Story
Taro was having a nice day. Suddenly, his cake was eaten by his brother. Then, he was rained on. Finally, he was teased by his friends. Taro had a very passive day.
Word Web
Challenge
Write 3 sentences about things that annoyed you today using the suffering passive.
Cultural Notes
The passive is often used to avoid direct blame.
Derived from the classical Japanese 'ru' and 'raru' auxiliaries.
Conversation Starters
最近、誰かに褒められましたか？
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
食べる → ___
Which is the passive form?
Find and fix the mistake:
雨が降られた。
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
I was invited by him.
Answer starts with: 彼に招...
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
教える
A: ケーキは？ B: ___
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercises食べる → ___
Which is the passive form?
Find and fix the mistake:
雨が降られた。
私 / 褒められる / 先生 / に
I was invited by him.
見る
教える
A: ケーキは？ B: ___
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercisesその{本|ほん}は{多|おお}くの{人|ひと}に ___ {います|います}。({読む|よむ})
This song is loved by everyone.
山田さんは部長を褒められました。
に / 赤ちゃん / 泣かれて / 大変でした /
Choose the correct sentence for respectful speech (sonkeigo):
夜中に友達に電話で ___ 、迷惑だった。({起きる|おきる})
Match the pairs.
この事実はみんなに信じれる。
この絵は有名画家___描かれました。
Translate the sentence.
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
Yes, especially in formal writing and for expressing inconvenience.
Look at the particles. 'ga' usually indicates potential, 'ni' indicates passive.
No, only use it when the subject is affected.
Not at all, it's standard grammar.
They use a different conjugation (areru).
Because it's used to describe negative events.
Yes, it's very common in business Japanese.
The conjugation is easy, but the nuance takes practice.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Ser + participio
Japanese passive often implies suffering.
Être + participe passé
Japanese passive is more nuanced.
Werden + Partizip II
Japanese passive is more subjective.
受身
None.
Majhul
Japanese uses suffixes.
被 (bei)
Japanese passive is more integrated into the verb.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Continue With
Japanese Direct Passive: Being Acted Upon (直接受身)
Overview The Japanese **Direct Passive**, known as `直接受身` {ちょくせつじゅしん|chokusetsu jushin}, is a grammatical c...
Indirect Passive: The 'Suffering' Passive
Overview Japanese grammar often emphasizes the speaker's perspective and emotional involvement in an event. The **Indire...
Japanese Passive Voice: Being Affected by Others (に)
Overview The Japanese passive voice, known as `受身形` (`うけみけい`), serves a distinct linguistic purpose often differ...
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