Loading ...Using passive sentences in Japanese, the -rareru form
Let’s learn how to form passive sentences in Japanese. By using the -rareru form, you can prove to your friends that your Japanese grammar has improved by a huge margin 
So let’s take a look at some of the passive words you often use in English conversation.
I was scolded by my teacher.
せんせい に しかられた、先生 に 叱られた
sensei ni shikarareta
せんせい、先生sensei means “teacher”
しかる、叱る shikaru means “to scold”
しかるshikaru becomes しかられるshikarareru (scold by) and for past tense becomes しかられた、叱られた(scolded by)
Another example
I was bitten by a dog
いぬ に かまれた
inu ni kamareta
いむ、犬inu means “dog”
かむ、噛む means “to bite”
かむ becomes かまれる and in past tense becomes かまれた
So how do you identify the change? Think of the -nai ない form before you change. So like say an example のむ and when you think of the -nai form. You get のまない. Drop the -nai ない form and add the -reru-れる behind you get のまれる. All verbs needs to be change to the -nai stem before you can add the -rareru. Take note that the “ra” in rareru is the “a” sounding where negative forms will be made. If its too confusing, take a look at the chart below for a better understanding.
| 食べる taberu (to eat) |
食べられる taberareru |
| 話す hanasu (to speak) |
話される hanasareru |
| 歩く aruku (to walk) |
歩かれる arukareru |
| 泳ぐ oyogu (to swim) |
泳がれる oyogareru |
| 呼ぶ yobu (to call) |
呼ばれる yobareru |
| 飲む nomu (to drink) |
飲まれる nomareru |
| 死ぬ shinu (to die) |
死なれる shinareru |
| 作る tsukuru (to make) |
作られる tsukurareru |
| 待つ matsu (to wait) |
待たれる matareru |
| 洗う arau (to wash) |
洗われる arawareru |
Before you use this passive way of speaking, you need to remember to always add a に before it. All passive forms takes the に particle. So if you look at the examples, it all takes in the に particle.
いぬ に かまれた - bitten by a dog
せんせい に しかられた - scolded by teacher
おかあさん に よばられた - called by my mother
What if you want to take a certain object and talk about it? Here is one example.
“The banana was eaten by the monkey”
バナナー が サル に 食べられた
バナナー means banana
サル means monkey
If you are not sure why do I use “ga” and not “wa”. You might want to read more in my earlier post on the confusion between using ga and wa particles
Continue to enjoy learning Japanese!
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