# Japanese Passive Form: Passive Verb Conjugation in Japanese Language Grammar
> How to say the plants are watered? Learn to conjugate and use the Japanese passive form with particle usage and practical tips for natural conversation.
**URL:** https://migaku.com/blog/japanese/japanese-passive-form-conjugation
**Last Updated:** 2026-01-18
**Tags:** fundamentals, culture, pronunciation, grammar
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The Japanese passive form trips up a lot of [learners](https://migaku.com/learn-japanese), and honestly, I get why. English speakers use passive voice way less often than Japanese speakers do. In Japanese, the passive gets used in everyday conversation for situations where English would sound totally awkward. The passive shows up in news broadcasts, business emails, casual complaints, and pretty much everywhere in between. Let me break down exactly how to conjugate and use the passive form so you can actually start recognizing and using it yourself.

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## What is the passive form in Japanese
The passive form in Japanese (<typo lang="ja" syntax="受け身[うけみ;o,n2,h]"></typo> - ukemi) describes situations where the subject receives an action rather than performing it. But Japanese passive works differently from English passive in some pretty important ways.

In English, we might say "The book was read by John." That's your standard passive sentence. Japanese has this type too, called the **direct passive**. But Japanese also has something called the **indirect passive** that English doesn't really have. This lets you express being affected or inconvenienced by someone else's actions, even when those actions weren't directly done to you.

For example, you can say "Ame ni furareta" (<typo lang="ja" syntax="雨[あめ;a] に 降[ふ,くだる]られた"></typo>) which literally means "I was rained on by rain" or more naturally "I got rained on (and it sucked)." This expresses that the rain affected you negatively. You can't really do this in English passive voice without sounding weird.

Japanese [grammar](https://migaku.com/blog/japanese/japanese-sentence-structure) makes way more use of passive language than English does. Once you tune into it, you'll notice Japanese speakers use passive constructions where English speakers would just use active voice.

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## How to conjugate the passive form
Conjugating Japanese verbs into passive form follows specific patterns based on verb groups. The conjugation rules stay consistent once you memorize them.

### Group 1 verbs (U-verbs)
> For Group 1 verbs (Also called u-verbs or godan verbs), you change the final u-sound to the corresponding a-sound, then add "reru" (れる).

Here's how it works:

- Kaku (<typo lang="ja" syntax="書[か;k1]く"></typo> - to write) becomes kakareru (<typo lang="ja" syntax="書[か,かく;k1]かれる"></typo> - to be written)
- Yomu (<typo lang="ja" syntax="読[よ;k1]む"></typo> - to read) becomes yomareru (<typo lang="ja" syntax="読[よ,よむ;k1]まれる"></typo> - to be read)
- Kau (<typo lang="ja" syntax="買[か;h]う"></typo> - to buy) becomes kawareru (<typo lang="ja" syntax="買[か,かう;h]われる"></typo> - to be bought)
- Hanasu (<typo lang="ja" syntax="話[はな;k2]す"></typo> - to speak) becomes hanasareru (<typo lang="ja" syntax="話[はな,はなす;k2]される"></typo> - to be spoken)
- Matsu (<typo lang="ja" syntax="待[ま;k1]つ"></typo> - to wait) becomes matareru (<typo lang="ja" syntax="待[ま,まつ;k1]たれる"></typo> - to be waited for)

### Group 2 verbs (Ru-verbs)
> Group 2 verbs (Ru-verbs or ichidan verbs) are simpler. You just drop the final "ru" and add "rareru" (られる).

Examples:

- Taberu (<typo lang="ja" syntax="食[た;k2]べる"></typo> - to eat) becomes taberareru (<typo lang="ja" syntax="食[た,たべる;k2]べられる"></typo> - to be eaten)
- Miru (<typo lang="ja" syntax="見[み;k1]る"></typo> - to see) becomes mirareru (<typo lang="ja" syntax="見[み,みる;k1]られる"></typo> - to be seen)
- Oshieru (<typo lang="ja" syntax="教[おし;h]える"></typo> - to teach) becomes oshierareru (<typo lang="ja" syntax="教[おし,おしえる;h]えられる"></typo> - to be taught)

### Irregular verbs conjugation
Japanese has two irregular verbs that you just need to memorize:

- Suru (する - to do) becomes sareru (される - to be done)
- Kuru (<typo lang="ja" syntax="来[く;k1]る"></typo> - to come) becomes korareru (<typo lang="ja" syntax="来[こ,くる;k1]られる"></typo> - to be come/arrived)

These don't follow the standard conjugation patterns, so drill them until they stick.

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## Basic sentence patterns with passive form
The basic structure for a passive sentence in Japanese uses different [particles](https://migaku.com/blog/japanese/japanese-particles-guide) than active sentences. Understanding which particle marks what is crucial for getting passive sentences right.

### Direct passive pattern
The direct passive describes an action done directly to the subject. The formula looks like this:

> Receiver + wa + Doer + ni + Passive verb

Example sentences:

1. <typo lang="ja" syntax="私[わたし;h] は 先生[せんせい;n3] に 褒[ほ,ほめる;k2]められた"></typo>。<br>*I was praised by the teacher.*
2. <typo lang="ja" syntax="この 本[ほん;a] は たくさん[;n3] の 人[ひと;h] に 読[よ,よむ;k1]まれる"></typo>。<br>*This book is read by many people.*
3. <typo lang="ja" syntax="彼[かれ;a] は 警察[けいさつ;h] に 捕[つか,つかまえる;h]まえた"></typo>。<br>*He was caught by the police.*
4. <typo lang="ja" syntax="その 手紙[てがみ;h] は 昨日[きのう;h] 届[とど,とどける;k3]けられた"></typo>。<br>*That letter was delivered yesterday.*
5. <typo lang="ja" syntax="新[あたら;k4]しい 政策[せいさく;h] が 発表[はっぴょう;h] さ[,する;h]れた"></typo>。<br>*A new policy was announced.*

The particle ni (に) marks who performs the action in passive sentences. Think of it as the equivalent of "by" in English passive constructions.

### Indirect passive pattern
The indirect passive expresses being affected or inconvenienced by someone's action. This is where Japanese passive gets really interesting. The pattern is:

> Affected person + wa + Doer + ni + Passive verb

Examples:

- <typo lang="ja" syntax="電車[でんしゃ;h,a] の 中[なか;a] で 足[あし;o] を 踏[ふ,ふむ;h]まれた"></typo>。<br>*Someone stepped on my foot in the train.* (And I was inconvenienced)
- <typo lang="ja" syntax="友達[ともだち;h] に 秘密[ひみつ;h] を バラ[;h] さ[,する;h]れた"></typo>。<br>*My friend revealed my secret.* (And it affected me negatively)
- <typo lang="ja" syntax="夜[よる;a] 遅[おそ,おそい;h]く 帰[かえ,かえる;k1]って こ[,くる;k1]られて 困[こま,こまる;k2]った"></typo>。<br>*He came home late at night.* (And it troubled me)

Notice how these express a feeling of being negatively affected. The indirect passive carries this nuance of annoyance or inconvenience that you just can't capture the same way in English.

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## Particles in passive sentences
Different particles mark the doer of the action in passive sentences, and they each carry slightly different meanings.

### Using に (ni)
The particle ni is the most common way to mark who performs the action. It works for both people and organizations.

- <typo lang="ja" syntax="母[はは;a] に 叱[しか,しかる;h]られた"></typo>。<br>*I was scolded by my mother.*
- <typo lang="ja" syntax="会社[かいしゃ;h] に 首[くび;h] に さ[,する;h]れた"></typo>。<br>*I was fired by the company.*

### Using から (kara)
The particle kara (から) also marks the doer, but it emphasizes the source or origin of the action. It tends to feel slightly more distant or formal.

- <typo lang="ja" syntax="先生[せんせい;n3] から[;a] 注意[ちゅうい;a] さ[,する;h]れた"></typo>。<br>*I was cautioned by the teacher.*
- <typo lang="ja" syntax="友達[ともだち;h] から[;a] プレゼント[;n2] を もらえ[,もらえる;h]た"></typo>。<br>*I received a present from my friend.*

### Using によって (ni yotte)
The particle ni yotte (によって) appears more in written Japanese, news reports, and formal contexts. It means "by means of" or "due to."

- <typo lang="ja" syntax="この 小説[しょうせつ;h] は 村上[むらかみ;h] 春樹[はるき] によって 書[か,かく;k1]かれた"></typo>。<br>*This novel was written by Haruki Murakami.*
- <typo lang="ja" syntax="新[あたら;k4]しい 法的[ほうてき;h] 枠組[わくぐ;h,o]み が 政府[せいふ;a] によって 提案[ていあん;h] さ[,する;h]れた"></typo>。<br>*A new legal framework was proposed by the government.*

You'll see ni yotte constantly in academic writing and news articles.

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## When to use the passive form
Japanese speakers use passive form in specific situations that don't always match English usage patterns.

### Expressing being affected
The passive form naturally expresses that the subject was affected by an action, especially negatively. Japanese speakers use this constantly to complain or express inconvenience.

- <typo lang="ja" syntax="雨[あめ;a] に 降[ふ,くだる]られた"></typo>。<br>*I got rained on.*
- <typo lang="ja" syntax="隣[となり;h] の 人[ひと;h] に タバコ[;h] を 吸[す,すう;h]われた"></typo>。<br>*The person next to me smoked.* (And it bothered me)

### Adding politeness and indirectness
Japanese culture values indirectness in many situations. The passive form creates distance and sounds more polite than direct active statements.

In business emails, you'll see passive constructions everywhere:

- <typo lang="ja" syntax="会議[かいぎ;a,o] は 五[ご;o] 時[じ] に 開催[かいさい;h] さ[,する;h]れます"></typo>。<br>*The meeting will be held at five o'clock.*

This sounds more formal and appropriate than the active version.

### Describing general actions
When describing actions without specifying who did them, passive form works perfectly:

- <typo lang="ja" syntax="この 建物[たてもの;n2,n3] は{1950}年[とし;o] に 建[た,たてる;k2]てられた"></typo>。<br>*This building was built in 1950.*
- <typo lang="ja" syntax="日本語[にほんご;h] は 世界中[せかいじゅう;h] で 話[はな,はなす;k2]される"></typo>。<br>*Japanese is spoken throughout the world.*

### With intransitive verbs
Here's something that surprises learners: Japanese can make passive forms from [intransitive verbs](https://migaku.com/blog/japanese/japanese-transitive-vs-intransitive-verbs) (Verbs that don't take direct objects). This creates the indirect passive I mentioned earlier.

- Shinu (<typo lang="ja" syntax="死[し;h]ぬ"></typo> - to die) becomes shinareru (<typo lang="ja" syntax="死[し,しぬ;h]なれる"></typo> - to have someone die on you)
- Iku (<typo lang="ja" syntax="行[い;h]く"></typo> - to go) becomes ikareru (<typo lang="ja" syntax="行[い,ゆく;h]かれる"></typo> - to have someone go/leave)

Example:
- <typo lang="ja" syntax="子供[こども;h] に 泣[な,なく;h]かれた"></typo>。<br>*My child cried.* (And it affected me/was troublesome)

You can't do this in English passive at all. The English passive only works with transitive verbs.

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## Practical tips for learning passive form
1. Start by recognizing passive forms when you encounter them in native content. Watch Japanese shows with subtitles and pause when you hear "rareru" or "areru" endings. Notice how often Japanese speakers use passive constructions compared to English.
2. Practice conjugating verbs into passive form until it becomes automatic. Make [flashcards](https://migaku.com/blog/japanese/kanji-flashcards-strategies-that-work) with active verbs on one side and passive forms on the other. Drill Group 1, Group 2, and irregular verbs separately since they follow different patterns.
3. Pay attention to which particle marks the doer. The difference between ni, kara, and ni yotte matters for sounding natural. Read news articles in Japanese since they use passive form constantly with ni yotte.
4. Try creating your own example sentences using the indirect passive to express annoyance or inconvenience. This form feels really foreign at first, but once you start using it, you'll realize how useful it is for expressing subtle feelings.
5. Listen for passive forms in different contexts. Notice how passive sounds more formal in business settings but also shows up in casual complaints. The same grammar structure serves multiple purposes depending on the situation.

If you want to actually practice recognizing passive forms in real Japanese content, Migaku's browser extension and app let you look up [verb conjugation](https://migaku.com/blog/japanese/japanese-verb-conjugation)s instantly while watching shows or reading articles. Makes learning grammar patterns way more practical when you see them used naturally. There's a 10-day free trial if you want to check it out.

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## FAQs
<accordion heading="Can I use koto wo yurusareta colloquially?">The structure verb + koto wo yurusareta (<typo lang="ja" syntax="こと[;o] を 許[ゆる,ゆるす;k2]された"></typo>) means "was allowed to (Verb)." You'll see it in written Japanese and formal speech, but it sounds pretty stiff for everyday conversation. Colloquially, people usually say verb + te mo ii (てもいい) for permission or being allowed to do something.</accordion>
<accordion heading="What's an example of passive form?">A simple example: <typo lang="ja" syntax="この 絵[え;o] は 有名[ゆうめい;h] な 画家[がか;h] に 描[か,かく;k1]かれた"></typo>。*This painting was painted by a famous artist.* This shows the basic passive structure with the particle ni marking who performed the action.</accordion>

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## Learning Japanese passive form is similar to learning other grammar
The strategy of learning the verb conjugations is applicable to every grammar scenario. Master the conjugation rules for each verb group, understand which particles mark the doer of the action, and pay attention to when Japanese speakers choose passive over active voice. The patterns become intuitive once you've seen enough examples in context.

> If you consume media in Japanese, and you understand at least some of the messages and sentences within that media, you will make progress. _Period_.

Once it clicks, it stays.