Passive Form

Vocabulary

食(た)べるた・べるru-verbto eat

書(か)くか・くu-verbto write

呼(よ)ぶよ・ぶu-verbto call

盗(ぬす)むぬす・むu-verbto steal

猫(ねこ)ねこcat

パンbread

財布(さいふ)さい・ふwallet

雨(あめ)あめrain

降(ふ)るふ・るu-verbto fall (rain)

踏(ふ)むふ・むu-verbto step on

The passive form indicates that the subject is the recipient of the action, often with a nuance of suffering or annoyance.

Conjugation

Ru-verbs

Drop る and add られる.

食(た)べる→食(た)べられる

見(み)る→見(み)られる

U-verbs

Change final う to あ and add れる.

書(か)く→書(か)かれる

呼(よ)ぶ→呼(よ)ばれる

読(よ)む→読(よ)まれる

Irregular

する→される

来(く)る→来(きた)られる

Usage

Suffering Passive

The subject is negatively affected by the action.

私(わたし)は猫(ねこ)にパンを食(た)べられた。I had my bread eaten by the cat.

電車(でんしゃ)で足(あし)を踏(ふ)まれた。I had my foot stepped on in the train.

財布(さいふ)を盗(ぬす)まれた。I had my wallet stolen.

Regular Passive

Simply describes who received the action.

この本(ほん)は多(おお)くの人(ひと)に読(よ)まれている。This book is read by many people.

彼(かれ)は先生(せんせい)に呼(よ)ばれた。He was called by the teacher.

雨(あめ)に降(ふ)られた。I got rained on.