「れる/られる」- Passive Auxiliary Verbs

Explanation

The passive auxiliary verbs 「れる/られる」 are used to form passive sentences in Japanese. In these sentences, the subject is the recipient of the action, often marked by 「は」, while the doer of the action is marked by 「に」. The recipient can be omitted, and the affected object is marked by 「を」. These auxiliary verbs are widely used in Japanese, especially when describing how someone or something is affected by an action.

Grammar Pattern

Grammar Point	Connection	Explanation
Godan Verbs	Verb Stem + れる	Used for the passive form of godan verbs, indicating a passive state.
Ichidan Verbs	Verb Stem + られる	Used for the passive form of ichidan verbs, indicating a passive state.
Irregular Verbs	する → される	Used for the passive form of 「する」, indicating a passive state.
	来る → 来られる	Used for the passive form of 「来る」, indicating a passive state.

Basic Usage and Examples

The basic usage of the passive auxiliary verbs 「れる/られる」 is to form sentences that express a passive state. Here are some basic examples:

• 私わたしは先生せんせいに褒ほめられました。
• Watashi wa sensei ni homeraremashita.
• I was praised by the teacher.
  

• 弟おとうとは犬いぬに足あしを噛かまれました。
• Otouto wa inu ni ashi o kamaremashita.
• My younger brother was bitten on the leg by a dog.
  

• このメールを 誰かに 見られると 困る。
• Kono meeru o dareka ni mirareru to komaru.
• It would be troublesome if this email is seen by someone.
  

Deep Dive

In passive sentences, the subject is usually the recipient or the one affected by the action, while the doer of the action is marked by 「に」. For example:

• 私わたしは友達ともだちに本ほんを読よまれました。
• Watashi wa tomodachi ni hon o yomaremashita.
• I had my book read by my friend.
  

In this sentence, 「私」 is the recipient of the action, while 「友達」 is the doer. The passive auxiliary verbs can also express situations where the subject is affected by some disadvantage. For example:

• 友達ともだちに来こられて、勉強べんきょうできなかった。
• Tomodachi ni korarete, benkyou dekinakatta.
• My friend came over, and I couldn't study.
  

Real-Life Scenarios

In everyday conversations, the passive auxiliary verbs are commonly used. For example:

• A: 昨日きのうきのう、何なになにをしましたか？
• B: 友達ともだちに誘さそわれて、映画えいがを見みに行いきました。
• A: Kinou, nani o shimashita ka?
• B: Tomodachi ni sasowarete, eiga o mi ni ikimashita.
• A: What did you do yesterday?
• B: I was invited by a friend to go watch a movie.
  

• 昨日きのうきのう、雨あめに降ふられてびしょ濡ぬれになりました。
• Kinou, ame ni furarete bishonure ni narimashita.
• I got soaked by the rain yesterday.
  

Summary

The passive auxiliary verbs 「れる/られる」 are an essential grammar point in Japanese, used to form sentences that express a passive state. Mastering their usage not only helps in accurately expressing passive actions but also in understanding subtle nuances in Japanese. With practice and real-life application, you can become more proficient in using this grammar point.