The Passive Form in Japanese

The passive form in Japanese

There are many cases where the subject is affected by some action or situation. That's when we need the passive form.

What is the Japanese passive form?

The Japanese passive form is 受身 (ukemi); the two kanji themselves express receiving or undergoing some action
What JLPT level is the Japanese passive?

The passive form is introduced at N4 and N3 grammar levels.

How to conjugate the Japanese passive (受身)

Group 1 verbs (godan verbs): change the final /u/ sound of the dictionary form to the /a/ sound, then add れる.
Examples :
買う（かう）→ 買われる（かわれる) : be bought .
飲む（のむ）→ 飲まれる（のまれる）: be drunk .

Group 2 verbs (ichidan verbs): drop る and add られる.
Examples :
食べる（たべる）→ 食べられる be eaten.
見る（みる）→ みられる : be seen.

Group 3 verbs: 来る becomes こられる, and する becomes される

Japanese passive patterns to remember

Passive pattern 1 : NがVられる

Meaning :
N is affected by the verb V. This pattern is used when the subject receives some action or effect V. It is often used in informational sentences when the doer of the action is unknown or doesn't need to be specified.

Examples :
この本の説明は詳しく書かれていません
kono hon no setsumei ha kuwashikute kakarete imasen
The explanations in this book are not written in detail.

入学式は、このホールで行われます。
nyuugatku shikiha kono ho-ru de okonawaremasu
The entrance ceremony is held in this building (the main hall)

この建物は300年前に建てられました。
kono tatemono ha 300 nen maeni tateraremashita
This building was built 300 years ago

Passive pattern 2 : N1がN2に（よって/から）Vられる

Meaning :
The subject N1 is affected by N2 (the doer) through the action V (N1 has V done to it by N2)

When we want to mention the doer of the action affecting the subject, we just add the doer (N) before に + the verb in passive form.

This pattern is often used in sentences describing events or providing information. The doer is marked with に or によって. によって is used when the doer (N2) creates works, architecture or buildings… or in formal situations.

から can also mark the doer. However, に is used more often.

Examples :
漫画はよく若いサラリーマンに読まれている
manga ha yoku wakai sarari-man ni yomareteiru
Manga are widely read by young salaried workers

そのお寺は地元の住民によって建てられた
sono otera ha jimoto no juumin ni yotte taterareta
That temple was built by local residents

夜中に騒いだから、近所の人に注意されてしまった
yonakani sawaidakara, kinjo no hito ni chuui sarete shimashita
Because I made noise in the middle of the night, I was told off by my neighbours.

兄に殴られた
ani ni nagurareta
Punched by my older brother

Passive pattern 3 : The indirect passive

Meaning and use
Used when the subject is inconvenienced by some situation. Only に is used in this pattern, not によって or から

Examples:
忙しい時に、客に来られて、何もできなかった
isogashii tokini okyaku ni korarete, nani mo dekinakatta
While I was busy, a guest dropped in on me, so I couldn't get anything done

雨に降られて、服がぬれてしまった。
ame ni furarete, fuku ga nurete shimatta
I got caught in the rain (the rain fell on me), so my clothes got soaking wet

Passive pattern ４: N1がN2にN3をVられる

Meaning and use
In this sentence N1 is the subject and N2 is the doer. N3 is the object affected by the verb, usually something belonging to N1. The pattern means: because action V affects N3, the subject N1 is inconvenienced…

Examples:
私は電車の中で、知らない人に足を踏まれた
watashi ha densha no nakade, shiranai hito ni ashi wo fumaremashita
Someone stepped on my foot on the train.

先生に発音を褒められて、日本語が好きになった
sensei ni hatsuon wo homerarete, nihongo ga suki ni natta
(I) was praised by my teacher for my good pronunciation, so I came to love Japanese

In many cases N3 doesn't have to belong to N1:

狭い部屋でタバコを吸われて、本当に気持ち悪かった.
semai heya de tabako wo suwarete, hontouni kimochi warukatta
In a cramped room, a stranger smoked (affecting me), which was really unpleasant

次々に料理を出されて、とても食べきれなかった
tukiguki ni ryouri wo dasarete, totemo tabekirenakatta
Dish after dish was brought out; I really couldn't eat it all

In Japanese passive sentences of this type, the doer is usually not mentioned. If mentioned, it goes before に. によって and から are not used in this case.

See also:
How to Conjugate the Passive Form in Japanese
The Difference Between Spoken and Written Japanese