| The passive form is translated as "being done". This
form cannot be combined with verbal adjectives. The passive form
can be created by adding either れる (reru) or られる (rareru) to the
mizenkei conjugation of respectively group 4 (yodan katsuyou) and
group 2 (nidan katsuyou)verbs.
Though normally the mizenkei + れる (reru) is used with group 4 (or
yodan katsuyou) verbs and the mizenkei + られる (rareru) is used with
group 2 (or nidan katsuyou) verbs, in the spoken language you may
encounter the mizenkei + れる (reru) sometimes being used with group
2 (or nidan katsuyou) verbs. This form is officially grammatically
incorrect.
Irregular verbs
The passive form of 来る (kuru) is formed by placing られる (rareru)
after the mizenkei. The passive form of する (suru) is formed by placing
れる (reru) after さ (sa) or られる (rareru) after せ (se).
| Rentaikei |
Mizenkei + (ら)れる ((ra)reru) |
| 買う |
kau |
買われる |
kawareru |
| 書く |
kaku |
書かれる |
kakareru |
| 出す |
dasu |
出される |
dasareru |
| 待つ |
matsu |
待たれる |
matareru |
 |
| 食べる |
taberu |
食べられる |
taberareru |
| (食べれる) |
(tabereru) |
| 見る |
miru |
見られる |
mirareru |
| (見れる) |
(mireru) |
|
| する |
suru |
される |
sareru |
| せられる |
serareru |
| 来る |
kuru |
来られる |
korareru |
| (来れる) |
(koreru) |
When adding (ら)れる ((ra)reru), which is a group 2 verb, to the mizenkei
conjugation, the resulting verb is also conjugated as a group 2
verb. For the correct conjugations please check the conjugations
page.
| |
ソニーのCDプレーヤーは中国で作られます。
(Sonii no CD pureeyaa wa chuugoku de tsukuraremasu.)
Sony CD-players are made in China.
蚊に刺された。 (Ka ni sasareta.)
I've been bitten by a mosquito. |
| |
The passive form has several functions. It can be used as a
- Passive form
- Passive form of inconvenience (迷惑の受身)
- Polite form
- Potential form
The Passive
form
The passive form is used to describe that "A" is being
done by "B". "A" is followed by the subject
particle が (ga), and "B" is followed by the particle に
(ni).
| |
手紙が田中さんに書かれました。 (Tegami
ga Tanaka-san ni kakaremashita.)
The letter was written by Mr. Tanaka.
田中さんが手紙を書きました。 (Tanaka-san ga tegami
wo kakimashita.)
Mr. Tanaka wrote the letter. |
| |
The Passive
form of inconvenience (迷惑の受身 / meiwaku no ukemi)
Like the passive form, the passive form of inconvenience is used
to describe that "A" is being done by "B", but
with the connotation that what happened was unpleasant. In this
form "A" is followed by the object particle を (wo), and
"B" is followed by the particle に (ni). This form can
often be translated without having the passive form in the English
translation.
| |
宿題を犬に食べられました。 (Shukudai
wo inu ni taberaremashita.)
The dog ate my homework. |
| |
The Polite
form
The polite form maintains the normal construction a normal sentence
would. This form is used to heighten the politeness level towards
the person you are talking to.
| |
あなたがもう食事を食べられましたか。 (Anata
ga mou shokuji wo taberaremashita
ka.)
Have you had dinner yet?
明日、来られますか。 (Ashita, koraremasu
ka.)
Will you come by tomorrow? |
| |
The
Potential form
The potential form is constructed in the same way as the normal
passive form, but the grammatical subject of the sentence is usually
separated by the particle は (wa). This form is often used to create
a potential form from group 2 (or nidan katsuyou) verbs.
| |
彼は直美ちゃんのことが忘れられない。 (Kare
wa Naomi-chan no koto ga wasurerarenai.)
He can't stop thinking about Naomi. |
Summary:
| |
"A"が"B"にされます。
("A" ga "B" ni
saremasu.)
"A" is being done by "B". (passive form)
"A"を"B"にされます。
("A" wo "B" ni
saremasu.)
"B" does "A" (and I am suffering because
of it). (passive form of inconvenience)
"A"が"B"をされます。
("A" ga "B" wo
saremasu.)
"A" does "B". (polite form)
"A"は"B"がされます。
("A" wa "B" ga
saremasu.)
"A" can do "B". (potential form) |
| |
Related pages:
Ren'youkei
+える (eru)
Mizenkei
+(ら)れる ((ra)reru)
Polite forms
Potential
forms |
