～られる (passive)

• Reading: られる
• Romaji: rareru
• Formation: Group 1: -u → -areru / Group 2: -ru → -rareru / する → される / くる → こられる

Meaning

Indicates the passive voice, where the subject is affected by an action performed by someone or something else. The agent of the action is typically marked with the particle に.

The Japanese passive form is used when the subject undergoes or is affected by an action. A distinctive feature is the adversative passive (迷惑の受身), where the subject is inconvenienced by someone else's action, even if the action was not directed at them. Group 1 verbs change the final -u vowel to -areru, Group 2 verbs replace -ru with -rareru, する becomes される, and くる becomes こられる. In formal writing and news, the passive is also used neutrally without the adversative nuance.

Examples

1. 弟にケーキを食べられた。 My cake was eaten by my younger brother.
2. 電車の中で足を踏まれた。 My foot was stepped on in the train.
3. 急に雨に降られて困った。 I got caught in a sudden rain and it was a problem.

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, written, everyday

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 隣の人にずっと話しかけられた。
• 子供のころ兄によくからかわれた。
• 駅前で知らない人に声をかけられた。

Don't Say

• 弟にケーキを食べれた。(Missing ら in passive form — 食べられた is correct) → 弟にケーキを食べられた。
• 友達が私の本が読まれた。(Agent of passive should be marked with に, not が) → 友達に私の本を読まれた。

Origin & History

The passive auxiliary られる derives from classical Japanese る/らる, which expressed both passive and spontaneous actions in early texts.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal