Understanding the Japanese Passive Form
In Japanese, the passive form is used to show that something is done to someone or something. It's like saying 'The cake was eaten by the dog' instead of 'The dog ate the cake.' This form is useful when you want to focus on the action or the person receiving the action.
How to Form the Passive in Japanese
Important Points
- For verbs ending in -u, change the -u to -areru. For example, 'kaku' (to write) becomes 'kakareru' (to be written).
- For verbs ending in -iru or -eru, change -ru to -rareru. For example, 'taberu' (to eat) becomes 'taberareru' (to be eaten).
- Irregular verbs like 'suru' (to do) become 'sareru' (to be done), and 'kuru' (to come) becomes 'korareru' (to be brought).
Remember, the passive form can sometimes make sentences sound more formal or polite. It's often used in newspapers or formal speeches.
Examples of Passive Form in Sentences
Examples
- 犬に食べられたケーキ。
- 先生に褒められた学生。
- 雨に降られたピクニック。
In these examples, notice how the focus is on the person or thing receiving the action. The cake was eaten by the dog, the student was praised by the teacher, and the picnic was affected by the rain.