Japanese Passive Voice (受け身形): The Complete Guide for English Speakers

You already know how to say “I ate sushi.” But what about “The sushi was eaten”? Or — more importantly — “My sushi got eaten (by someone else, and I’m upset about it)”? That last sentence is uniquely Japanese, and it’s called the suffering passive. This guide covers everything you need to know about the Japanese passive voice (受け身形, ukemi-kei), from basic formation to the nuances that trip up English speakers.

How to Form the Japanese Passive Voice

The passive form in Japanese is called 受け身形 (ukemi-kei) or 受動態 (judou-tai). It’s built directly from the dictionary form of a verb. The key is knowing which verb group you’re working with.

Group 1 (U-verbs): Change -u to -a + れる

For U-verbs, change the final syllable from the -u row to the -a row of the hiragana chart, then add れる.

Group 2 (Ru-verbs): Drop -ru + られる

Irregular Verbs

Yuka

Notice that ru-verb passives (食べられる) look exactly like potential forms! Context usually makes it clear, but this overlap confuses a lot of learners. In speech, pitch accent helps, but in writing you rely entirely on context.

The Direct Passive: Basic Usage

The direct passive is closest to English passive. The subject directly receives the action of the verb. The person who performs the action (the agent) is marked with に.

Pattern: [Subject] は/が [Agent] に [Passive Verb]

Key difference from English: In English, we sometimes use “by” optionally (“The book was written” vs “The book was written by Hemingway”). In Japanese, the agent with に is also optional — but when included, it always comes before the passive verb.

The Suffering Passive (迷惑の受け身): Japan’s Unique Construction

This is the part that has no equivalent in English, and it’s essential for natural Japanese. The suffering passive (迷惑の受け身, meiwaku no ukemi) expresses that someone was negatively affected by another person’s action — even if the action wasn’t directed at them.

Think of it as: “I suffered because [someone did something].”

The possession passive: When someone’s possession is the object of the action, the owner becomes the subject. “財布を盗まれた” literally means “[I] had my wallet stolen” — the speaker is the subject, their wallet was what got stolen. This structure is very common in everyday Japanese.

Yuka

The suffering passive is used with intransitive verbs too — like 泣く (to cry) or 来る (to come). This is impossible in English. You can’t say “I was cried by my baby” in English, but in Japanese 子供に泣かれた is perfectly natural and means the crying was a problem for you.

Passive in Formal Writing and News Japanese

Japanese news articles and formal writing use the passive voice very frequently — just like English news. It creates distance and objectivity. You’ll also notice it in academic writing and official announcements.

Tip for learners: When you read NHK Web Easy news in Japanese, count how many passive forms you spot. It trains your recognition speed dramatically.

Common Mistakes English Speakers Make

• Using に where を is needed: In the possession passive “財布を盗まれた,” the stolen item keeps を, not に. Don’t write ❌ 財布に盗まれた.
• Confusing passive with potential: 食べられる can mean “can eat” (potential) OR “is eaten” (passive). Look at context — subject + は/が + に + passive verb = passive.
• Forgetting the suffering passive exists: Native speakers use it constantly. If someone says 電車に乗り遅れた (I missed the train), the feeling of frustration is baked in.
• Assuming passive = polite: Japanese passive does NOT add politeness. Polite level is handled by ます/です endings. 叱られました is polite-form passive, 叱られた is plain-form — both are passive, different politeness.
• Passive with intransitive verbs: English forbids passive of intransitive verbs. Japanese allows it with the suffering meaning. 死なれた (someone died on me / I suffered a loss) uses 死ぬ, an intransitive verb.

Decision Flowchart: Which Passive Pattern to Use?

Are you describing an action done TO the subject?
    |
    ├─ YES: Is the subject negatively affected / inconvenienced?
    |           |
    |           ├─ YES: Use SUFFERING PASSIVE
    |           |        (Subject) は (Agent) に (passive verb)
    |           |        e.g. 雨に降られた / 財布を盗まれた
    |           |
    |           └─ NO: Use DIRECT PASSIVE
    |                    (Subject) は (Agent) に (passive verb)
    |                    e.g. 先生に褒められた
    |
    └─ NO: Is this for formal writing / news?
                |
                ├─ YES: Use PASSIVE for objectivity
                |        Agent often omitted
                |        e.g. 法律が制定された
                |
                └─ NO: Use active voice instead
                         e.g. 私はご飯を食べた (not 「ご飯が食べられた」)

Quick Quiz: Test Your Passive Voice Skills

Fill in the blank with the correct passive form. Answers are below each question.

Q1. My homework was checked by the teacher.
先生に宿題を___。
(hint: 調べる — ru-verb)

▼ Answer: 調べられた (shiraberareta)

Q2. I had my bicycle stolen. (suffering passive — possession)
自転車を___。
(hint: 盗む — u-verb)

▼ Answer: 盗まれた (nusumareta)

Q3. She is loved by everyone.
彼女はみんなに___。
(hint: 好く — u-verb, but note: 好かれる is the standard passive form)

▼ Answer: 好かれている (sukarete iru)

Q4. The new park will be opened next month.
新しい公園は来月___予定だ。
(hint: 開く — u-verb)

▼ Answer: 開かれる (hirakareru)

Q5. My younger sibling cried and it was trouble for me. (suffering passive — intransitive)
弟に___。
(hint: 泣く — u-verb)

▼ Answer: 泣かれた (nakareta)

Summary: Japanese Passive Voice at a Glance

Rei

Once you recognize the suffering passive, you’ll hear it everywhere in daily conversation. It’s one of those forms that makes Japanese feel very expressive — the grammar itself carries emotion. Practice spotting it in dramas and anime!

Have you encountered the suffering passive in the wild? Drop your example sentences in the comments below — I’d love to see what you’ve found!

Want to practice speaking passive sentences with a native Japanese teacher? Find a tutor on italki — you can book lessons from just a few dollars and practice exactly the grammar points that confuse you.

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The passive voice connects to many other grammar patterns. These articles will help you build a complete picture:

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