Verb[Passive]
Structure
Verb | Ex. dictionary form | Ex. Conjugated |
---|---|---|
V(る1) | 見 る | 見 られる |
V(る5) | 座 る | 座 られる |
V(う) | 歌 う | 歌 われる |
V(く) | 歩 く | 歩 かれる |
V(す) | 話 す | 話 される |
V(つ) | 打 つ | 打 たれる |
V(ぬ) | 死 ぬ | 死 なれる |
V(ぶ) | 飛 ぶ | 飛 ばれる |
V(む) | 休 む | 休 まれる |
V(ぐ) | 泳 ぐ | 泳 がれる |
️Irregular Verbs ️
する→ ! される
くる→ ! こられる
Explanation
When passive(受身) is used a person or a thing that undergoes the action(called patient/target in linguistics and literature) becomes the subject of the sentence rather than a person or a thing(called “agent”) “doing” the verb.
It used used when we don’t know the agent, or it is not important etc.
Active voice: パナソ〇〇クがこのカメラを作った。
(Panasoc made this camera.)
Passive voice: このカメラがパナソ〇〇クによって作られた。
(This camera has been made by Panasoc)
In Japanese passive is also used when someone did something wrong to someone, opposite to verb[て] + くれる/もらう construction. It is called suffering passive (迷惑の受身).
Active voice: 泥棒が食べ物を盗んだ。(Thief stole food.)
Passive voice:ものが泥棒に盗まれた。(The food has been stolen by a thief.)
Passive can be also used in honorific speech to easily create honorific words, but it will be covered later.