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PassiveN42 rules

Passive form (受身形): when something is done to you

The passive marks the doer with に and often carries a nuance of nuisance — the 'suffering passive' that has no equivalent in English. These cards cover the conjugation and that nuance.

Also known aspassive form受身形ukemireru rarerujapanese passive

1
V (passive られる)Passive form
Passive

書く→書かれる, 食べる→食べられる, する→される, 来る→来られる. The doer takes に.

わたしは 母に しかられました

わたしは ははに しかられました。

I was scolded by my mother.

Group I: あ-row + れる (書く→書かれる, 読む→読まれる). Group II: ます-stem + られる (食べる→食べられる). Irregular: する→される, 来る→来られる. The agent is marked with に.

In the textbooksMinna II, lesson 37

2
N1 は N2 に V(passive)Passive — being affected
Passive

The subject is affected by N2's action — often something unwelcome.

(わたしは)弟に ケーキを 食べられました

(わたしは)おとうとに ケーキを たべられました。

My little brother ate my cake (on me).

Japanese often uses the passive to show the subject was adversely affected (the “suffering passive”). The agent takes に, and what was acted on can stay marked with を.

In the textbooksMinna II, lesson 37