We haven’t learned this in class yet. Apparently it is used quite a bit, encouraged actually. Unlike in English where passive voice (“being”) is discouraged.

Sources:

Tae Kim’s Guide to Learning Japanese

Passive Form

Structure:

Ichidan Verbs - Drop る, add られる. Damn shame this is the exact same as potential form.

Godan Verbs - change last kana like you are making a negative (go to あ sound except う => わ), then add れる

Exceptions - する => される, くる => こられる. Similar structure to causative.

Do note that after conjugation, you get an ichidan verb, which can be conjugated and distal’ed accordingly


Uses:

Same as in English. Passive verbs are done to the (passive) subject. Passive form is encouraged in Japanese. Removes a level of directness => more polite.

It appears that に is used for the actual subject, while the normal subject particles are used for the passive subject. Makes a little sense since the action is being done “by” the actual subject? I guess?

パンがボブさんに食べられた - “Bread was eaten by Bob”

この教科書は多くの人に読まれている- “This textbook is being read by many people”

外国人に質問を聞かれたが、答えられなかった - “I was asked a question by a foreigner, but I was not able to answer”. First is passive, second is potential. ahaha

明日の会議に行かれるんですか- “Are you going to tomorrow’s meeting?”. Lit: “It it that tomorrow’s meeting will be went to by you?”. More polite.

I think you will need to do a lot of external reading to internalize which scenarios to use this in.

After some practice, it feels like whenever I use passive in English, either the subject doesn’t matter, or the object needs to be emphasised.




Vocab:

Here are some kanji from the lessons that I wasn’t really familiar with at this point:

  • 会議. We know the word and the first kanji. Pronounced “kaigi”. Means “meeting/conference”.

  • 質問. We know the word and the second kanji. Pronounced “shitsumon”. Means “qustion”.