受身形
🃏 Flashcard
受身形
ukemi kei
Tap to reveal usage
passive form; passive voice
N4
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📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N4
Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences
Reading
ukemi kei
Post ID
50799
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
passive form; passive voice
📖 How to use it
The passive form shows that the subject receives the action, or that something is done to the subject.
Attaches to
Group 1 (u-verbs): change the final -u to -areru (e.g., 書く → 書かれる). Group 2 (ru-verbs): drop the final -ru and add -rareru (e.g., 食べる → 食べられる). Irregular: する → される, 来る → 来られる. The passive is formed from the dictionary form's negative stem (the form that takes -nai) or by knowing the verb group.
The passive form is used to say that something is done to someone or something. It is often used when the doer is not important or is obvious. For example, 'The window was broken' (by someone) uses the passive. In Japanese, the doer is marked with に. The subject of the passive sentence is the person or thing that receives the action, so it is marked with が or は.
私は先生に褒められました。
Watashi wa sensei ni homeraremashita.
I was praised by the teacher.
この本はたくさんの人に読まれています。
Kono hon wa takusan no hito ni yomarete imasu.
This book is read by many people.
窓が開けられた。
Mado ga akerareta.
The window was opened (by someone).
Not Potential form (可能形) for ru-verbs: 食べられる can also mean 'can eat'.
Context tells you which is meant. If the sentence has a doer marked with に, it is passive. If it expresses ability, it is potential. For example, '私は刺身を食べられる' means 'I can eat sashimi' (potential). '私は母に食べられた' means 'I was eaten by my mother' (passive) — but that is unnatural; use context.
Register
The passive form is used in both spoken and written Japanese, but in everyday conversation, the shorter passive (e.g., 書かれる) is common. In formal writing, it is also standard.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
受身形
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat 受身形 three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
Flip Before Reading
Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.
Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using 受身形. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
Spaced Review
Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.
🔗 More JLPT N4 Patterns
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern 受身形 mean?
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Passive form; passive voice
What JLPT level is 受身形?
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Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N4 — Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use 受身形 in a sentence?
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Attach 受身形 (ukemi kei) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.
Is 受身形 formal or casual Japanese?
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受身形 is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.
How can I remember 受身形 long-term?
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Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.