Japanese Passive Form: Essential Grammar and Usage

Have you ever wondered why Japanese speakers sometimes seem to talk about actions happening “to” them rather than actions they perform? Picture yourself watching a Japanese drama where a character says something like “watashi wa sensei ni shikarareta” (私は先生に叱られた) – “I was scolded by the teacher.” This isn’t just a translation quirk; it’s the Japanese passive form in action, and mastering it will transform how you express experiences and emotions in Japanese.

The Japanese passive form isn’t just grammar – it’s a window into Japanese culture’s emphasis on relationships, respect, and shared experiences. Whether you’re preparing for the JLPT N5 or simply want to sound more natural in conversation, understanding this grammatical structure will elevate your Japanese communication skills dramatically.

What Is the Japanese Passive Form?

The Japanese passive form uses the suffix られる (rareru) to shift focus from the action’s performer to the person experiencing its effects. Unlike English passive voice, which often sounds formal or academic, Japanese passive constructions appear frequently in everyday conversation and carry emotional nuance that active voice simply cannot capture.

Think of it this way: instead of saying “The dog bit me,” you’d say “I was bitten by the dog” – but in Japanese, this choice carries deeper implications about your emotional state and the situation’s impact on you.

How to Conjugate Verbs into Japanese Passive Form

Godan (U-verbs) Conjugation

For godan verbs, transforming them into passive form requires changing the final sound to its corresponding あ-column equivalent, then adding れる:

• nomu (飲む – to drink) → nomareru (飲まれる – to be drunk)
• kaku (書く – to write) → kakareru (書かれる – to be written)
• hanasu (話す – to speak) → hanasareru (話される – to be spoken)

Special case: Verbs ending in う become われる:

• kau (買う – to buy) → kawareru (買われる – to be bought)

Ichidan (RU-verbs) Conjugation

Ichidan verbs follow a simpler pattern – simply replace る with られる:

• taberu (食べる – to eat) → taberareru (食べられる – to be eaten)
• miru (見る – to see) → mirareru (見られる – to be seen)
• akeru (開ける – to open) → akerareru (開けられる – to be opened)

Irregular Verbs

The two main irregular verbs have their own unique passive forms:

• suru (する – to do) → sareru (される – to be done)
• kuru (来る – to come) → korareru (来られる – to be come to)

Constructing Japanese Passive Form Sentences

The basic sentence structure for Japanese passive form follows this pattern:

[Experiencer] は [Doer] に [Passive Verb]

Let’s examine some practical examples:

Watashi wa ame ni furareta. 私は雨に降られた。 “I got rained on.” (I experienced the inconvenience of rain)

Kodomo wa sensei ni homerareta. 子供は先生に褒められた。 “The child was praised by the teacher.”

Notice how these sentences emphasize the experiencer’s perspective rather than the doer’s actions.

Direct vs. Indirect Passive: A Cultural Insight

Direct Passive

Direct passive works similarly to English passive voice, where the action directly affects the subject:

Tegami wa haha ni kakareta. 手紙は母に書かれた。 “The letter was written by mother.”

Indirect Passive (Adversative Passive)

This uniquely Japanese construction expresses how someone’s actions affect you, often negatively:

Tonari no hito ni tabako wo suwareta. 隣の人にタバコを吸われた。 “Someone next to me smoked (and it bothered me).”

This form captures the Japanese cultural sensitivity to how others’ actions impact our comfort and well-being – something that doesn’t translate directly into English passive voice.

Particle Usage in Japanese Passive Form

に (ni) – The Standard Marker

Use に to mark the agent (doer) in most passive sentences:

Neko ni sakaana wo taberareta. 猫に魚を食べられた。 “I had my fish eaten by the cat.”

から (kara) – Alternative for People

When both the doer and experiencer are people, and the action is direct, から can replace に:

Tomodachi kara/ni warawareta. 友達から/に笑われた。 “I was laughed at by my friend.”

によって (ni yotte) – Formal Contexts

In formal writing or when emphasizing the agent, use によって:

Kono shosetsu wa yuumei na sakka ni yotte kakareta. この小説は有名な作家によって書かれた。 “This novel was written by a famous author.”

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Many learners struggle with these aspects of the Japanese passive form:

1. Overusing it: Don’t translate every English passive into Japanese passive
2. Ignoring emotional nuance: Remember that passive often implies some effect on the speaker
3. Mixing up potential and passive: られる can mean both “can do” and “be done to”

Practical Applications and Study Tips

To master the Japanese passive form, practice these scenarios:

• Describing inconveniences: “I got caught in the rain” (雨に降られた)
• Expressing experiences: “I was taught by a great teacher” (素晴らしい先生に教えられた)
• Cultural complaints: “Someone cut in line in front of me” (前に割り込まれた)

For comprehensive study materials and structured learning, check out our JLPT N5 Study Guide, which includes detailed explanations of passive form usage alongside other essential grammar points.

Understanding expressions like kira kira meaning and what does daijoubu mean alongside grammatical structures like passive form gives you a well-rounded foundation in Japanese communication patterns.

Quick Reference: Japanese Passive Form Conjugation Chart

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the Japanese passive form used for? A: The Japanese passive form (られる) expresses actions done to someone, often emphasizing the experiencer’s perspective and emotional impact.

Q: How do you make a Japanese verb passive? A: For godan verbs, change the ending to あ-column + れる; for ichidan verbs, replace る with られる.

Q: What’s the difference between direct and indirect passive in Japanese? A: Direct passive shows action done directly to the subject, while indirect passive expresses how someone’s actions affect you personally.

Q: When should I use the Japanese passive form? A: Use it when emphasizing the receiver’s experience, expressing inconvenience, or in formal descriptions of processes.

Q: Can Japanese passive form express positive experiences? A: Yes, though it often carries nuance of being affected by someone’s actions, whether positive or negative.

Conclusion

Mastering the Japanese passive form opens doors to more nuanced, culturally appropriate expression in Japanese. This grammatical structure reflects fundamental aspects of Japanese communication – the emphasis on relationships, consideration for others, and the importance of perspective in storytelling.

The key to success lies in understanding not just the mechanics of conjugation, but the cultural context that makes passive form such a vital part of natural Japanese conversation. Practice with real-world examples, pay attention to the emotional undertones, and remember that fluency comes through understanding both language structure and cultural meaning.

Start incorporating these patterns into your daily Japanese practice, and you’ll soon discover how the Japanese passive form transforms your ability to express complex experiences and emotions with authentic Japanese nuance.