In Japanese, the passive voice (受身形 - ukemi-kei) isn't just a structural shift like in English. While it can indicate who or what performed an action, it more often conveys that the subject received the action, frequently with connotations of being affected, inconvenienced, or having something unexpected happen to them. Think of it as more about "being on the receiving end" than simply "who did what."
The passive form is created by conjugating verbs. Here’s a detailed overview:
| Verb Group | Dictionary Form | Passive Form | Romaji | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group 1 (う) | 書く (kaku) | 書かれる | kakareru | to be written |
| Group 2 (る) | 食べる (taberu) | 食べられる | taberareru | to be eaten |
| Irregular | する (suru) | される | sareru | to be done |
| Irregular | 来る (kuru) | 来られる | korareru | to be come (someone comes) |
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| 先生に褒められました。 | Sensei ni homeraremashita. | I was praised by the teacher. |
| 犬に手を噛まれた。 | Inu ni te o kamareta. | My hand was bitten by a dog. |
| 友達に笑われた。 | Tomodachi ni warawareta. | I was laughed at by my friend. |
| 雨に降られた。 | Ame ni furareta. | I was rained on. (It rained on me.) |
| 弟にパソコンを壊された。 | Otouto ni pasokon o kowasareta. | My computer was broken by my younger brother. |
| 母に叱られた。 | Haha ni shikarareta. | I was scolded by my mother. |
| 変な人に話しかけられた。 | Hen na hito ni hanashikakerareta. | I was spoken to by a strange person. |
Marking the Agent (行為者): The person or thing causing the action is typically marked with に (ni). This indicates "by" whom or what the action was done.
Implication of Unwantedness (迷惑のニュアンス): The passive voice in Japanese often implies that the action was unwelcome, inconvenient, or out of the speaker’s control. This is a crucial difference from the English passive voice. Consider the sentence "雨に降られた (Ame ni furareta)." While literally "I was rained on," the nuance is that the speaker is likely annoyed or inconvenienced by the rain.
Subject Marking (主語の選択): The thing that has something done to it usually becomes the subject of the sentence, often marked with は (wa) or が (ga). This is more noticeable when the agent is already known or less important than what was affected.
More than just "who did what": Focus on conveying the experience of receiving the action. It is about the receiver rather than the doer.
Understanding the context and implied feelings is key to mastering the passive voice. Let’s look at examples that highlight this:
Example 1:
This sentence implies not just that the wallet was stolen by someone, but also the resulting feeling of loss and inconvenience that the speaker experienced.
Example 2:
Although grammatically this sentence uses the causative-passive form (which will be covered later), it shares a similar nuance. Receiving the help is what is emphasized, rather than Tanaka-san's action itself. In this case, moraimashita shows gratitude for the assistance and positive effect.
Sometimes, passive sentences can be ambiguous, especially with verbs that already have other forms that look similar (like the potential form). Careful attention to context is essential!
For example:
| Sentence | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| このケーキは食べられる。 | Kono keeki wa taberareru. | This cake can be eaten. (Potential) |
| ケーキは犬に食べられた。 | Keeki wa inu ni taberareta. | The cake was eaten by the dog. (Passive - expressing a negative outcome) |
In the first case, the context implies ability. In the second, the context shows that the speaker isn't expressing ability, so is more likely expressing a negative feeling.
A common point of confusion is the distinction between the passive and potential forms, especially for Group 2 verbs where they look identical. Key differences to remember:
Context is crucial. Ask yourself: Is the sentence about capability, or about receiving an action?
Here are some more nuanced examples to broaden your understanding:
Expressing Universal Truths:
Here, the agent is not specified because it's irrelevant. The focus is on the inevitability of the truth being revealed.
Emphasis on the Action:
The focus is on the widespread popularity of the book and the action of reading it, rather than who is doing the reading.
Softening Direct Statements (indirect speech):
Using passive can be more polite and indirect. * (Direct) あなたが間違えました。(Anata ga machigaemashita.) - You made a mistake. * (Passive) 間違いがありました。(Machigai ga arimashita.) - There was a mistake. (lit. A mistake happened to be there). This is less accusatory and more polite.
Try converting these sentences to the passive voice:
母がケーキを作る。 (Haha ga keeki o tsukuru.) — My mother makes a cake.
先生が質問する。 (Sensei ga shitsumon suru.) — The teacher asks a question.
泥棒が財布を盗む。 (Dorobou ga saifu o nusumu.) — The thief steals a wallet.
猫が魚を食べる。 (Neko ga sakana o taberu.) — The cat eats the fish.
ケーキが母に作られる。 (Keeki ga haha ni tsukurareru.) — The cake is made by my mother.
質問が先生にされる。 (Shitsumon ga sensei ni sareru.) — The question is asked by the teacher.
財布が泥棒に盗まれる。 (Saifu ga dorobou ni nusumareru.) — The wallet is stolen by the thief.
魚が猫に食べられる。 (Sakana ga neko ni taberareru.) — The fish is eaten by the cat. (Often implies you are upset that your fish was eaten)
Translate the following sentences into Japanese using the passive voice:
Fill in the blank with the correct passive form of the verb in parentheses:
私は先生に ___________。(褒める - homeru) (Watashi wa sensei ni ___________。)
I was praised by the teacher.
弟にゲームを ___________。(壊す - kowasu) (Otouto ni geemu o ___________。)
My game was broken by my younger brother.
道で知らない人に ___________。(話しかける - hanashikakeru) (Michi de shiranai hito ni ___________。)
I was spoken to by a stranger on the street.