JLPT N4 grammar

Passivemeaning and usage

Meaning

  1. Be A-ed (Passive tense), when the action is directed at the subject.
  2. A is done, A happens
  3. A does B

How to form it

  • godan verb (nai-form without ない)れる
  • ichidan verb stem (without る)られる
  • する → される/来る → 来られる
  • personにverb (passive form)

How it is used

U-verbs add 「れる」 to the ない-stem; ru-verbs replace 「る」 with 「られる」; the doer takes 「に」. It can also show being troubled by something: 「雨に降られた」 (I got caught in the rain). For ru-verbs, the passive looks the same as the potential.

Examples

  1. この車は十年前に作られました。

    This car was made ten years ago.

  2. 先生にほめられました。

    I was praised by my teacher.

  3. この歌は世界中で歌われています。

    This song is sung all over the world.