Japanese Verbs in the Passive Voice146

Introduction

The passive voice is a grammatical construction that allows the speaker or writer to focus on the action rather than the agent performing the action. In Japanese, the passive voice is formed by adding the suffix -rareru to the verb stem. The subject of a passive sentence is the recipient of the action, while the agent of the action is either not mentioned or is marked with the particle ni.

Formation of the Passive Voice

To form the passive voice, simply add the suffix -rareru to the verb stem. For example, the verb taberu (to eat) becomes taberareru (to be eaten) in the passive voice. The following table shows some common verbs in the passive voice:


Verb
Passive Voice




taberu (to eat)
taberareru (to be eaten)


nomu (to drink)
nomareru (to be drunk)


miru (to see)
mirareru (to be seen)


kiku (to hear)
kikoeru (to be heard)


hanasu (to speak)
hanasareru (to be spoken)

Uses of the Passive Voice

The passive voice is used in a variety of situations, including:
When the agent of the action is unknown or unimportant
When the speaker or writer wants to emphasize the result of the action rather than the agent
When the subject of the sentence is the recipient of the action

Examples of the Passive Voice

The following are some examples of the passive voice in Japanese:
Nihongo ga hanaseru. (Japanese is spoken.)
Kono hon ga yomareru. (This book is being read.)
Ano eiga ga mirareru. (That movie was seen.)
Jishin ga oこる。 (An earthquake occurred.)
Kono biru wa 1964-nen ni tatetarareta. (This building was built in 1964.)

Conclusion

The passive voice is a versatile grammatical construction that can be used in a variety of situations. By understanding how to form and use the passive voice, you can improve your Japanese language skills and communicate more effectively.

2024-12-11

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