This morning, one of my boys\u00a0opened our refrigerator and said, “Oh no, someone ate my cake!” He was devastated as he wanted to save his cake for later.<\/p>\n
In Japanese, when something is stolen or taken away from you, we often use “passive verb” in our expression rather than “active” verb. \u00a0In the scenario above, you can also say: “My cake was eaten up by someone! ” \u00a0In Japanese, it is more common to express using passive verbs than just saying, “Someone ate my cake!”. \u00a0Using passive verb, it will be, ” Boku(watashi) no ke-ki ga darekani taberareta! ” – (\u50d5\u306e\uff08\u308f\u305f\u3057\u306e\uff09\u30b1\u30fc\u30ad\u304c\u8ab0\u304b\u306b\u98df\u3079\u3089\u308c\u305f\uff01\u3000\u307c\u304f\u306e\uff08\u308f\u305f\u3057\u306e\uff09\u30b1\u30fc\u30ad\u304c\u3000\u3060\u308c\u304b\u306b\u3000\u305f\u3079\u3089\u308c\u305f\uff01)<\/p>\n
In this article, let me show you how you can use passive verbs in Japanese conversation.<\/p>\n
==> My watch was stolen yesterday. – Tokei ga kinou nusumareta.<\/p>\n
(\u6642\u8a08\u304c\u6628\u65e5\u3001\u76d7\u307e\u308c\u305f\u3002\u3068\u3051\u3044\u304c\u3000\u304d\u306e\u3046\u3000\u306c\u3059\u307e\u308c\u305f\u3002)<\/p>\n
==> I was scolded by my mother this morning. – Kesa watashi wa haha ni shikarareta.<\/p>\n
(\u4eca\u671d\u3001\u79c1\u306f\u3000\u6bcd\u306b\u3000\u3057\u304b\u3089\u308c\u305f\u3002\u3051\u3055\u3001\u308f\u305f\u3057\u306f\u3000\u306f\u306f\u306b\u3000\u3057\u304b\u3089\u308c\u305f\u3002)<\/p>\n
==> My comic book was taken away by my teacher because I was reading it during the class. – Jyugyo chu ni yondeitanode, bokuno manga wa sensei ni bosshu sareta.<\/p>\n
(\u6388\u696d\u4e2d\u306b\u8aad\u3093\u3067\u3044\u305f\u306e\u3067\u3001\u307c\u304f\u306e\u6f2b\u753b\u306f\u6ca1\u53ce\u3055\u308c\u305f\u3002\u3058\u3085\u304e\u3087\u3046\u3061\u3085\u3046\u306b\u3000\u3088\u3093\u3067\u3044\u305f\u306e\u3067\u3001\u307c\u304f\u306e\u3000\u307e\u3093\u304c\u306f\u3000\u307c\u3063\u3057\u3085\u3046\u3000\u3055\u308c\u305f\u3002)<\/p>\n
Note here: Take away is often expressed in Japanese as “Bosshu suru(\u6ca1\u53ce\u3059\u308b, \u307c\u3063\u3057\u3085\u3046\u3000\u3059\u308b)”<\/p>\n
Taken away will be “Bosshu sareru (\u307c\u3063\u3057\u3085\u3046\u3055\u308c\u308b)”<\/p>\n
As you might have noticed, “~sareru (\u3055\u308c\u308b) or ~rareru (\u3089\u308c\u308b)\u00a0” is a passive expression in Japanese.<\/p>\n
Let’s convert the following verbs into passive forms.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Eat ==><\/p>\n
Taberu \u98df\u3079\u308b\u3001\u305f\u3079\u308b ==> Taberareru \u98df\u3079\u3089\u308c\u308b\u3001\u305f\u3079\u3089\u308c\u308b<\/p>\n
Hit == ><\/p>\n
Tataku \u53e9\u304f\u3001\u305f\u305f\u304f==> Tatakareru \u53e9\u304b\u308c\u308b\u3001\u305f\u305f\u304b\u308c\u308b<\/p>\n
Steal==><\/p>\n
Nusumu \u76d7\u3080\u3001\u306c\u3059\u3080 ==> Nusumareru\u00a0\u76d7\u307e\u308c\u308b\u3001\u306c\u3059\u307e\u308c\u308b<\/p>\n
Break ==><\/p>\n
Kowasu \u58ca\u3059\u3001\u3053\u308f\u3059 ==> Kowasareru\u3000\u58ca\u3055\u308c\u308b\u3001\u3053\u308f\u3055\u308c\u308b<\/p>\n
Scold==><\/p>\n
Shikaru \u53f1\u308b\u3001\u3057\u304b\u308b ==> Shikarareru\u3000\u53f1\u3089\u308c\u308b\u3001\u3057\u304b\u3089\u308c\u308b<\/p>\n
Use ==><\/p>\n
Tsukau \u4f7f\u3046\u3001\u3064\u304b\u3046 ==> Tsukawareru\u3000\u4f7f\u308f\u308c\u308b\u3001\u3064\u304b\u308f\u308c\u308b<\/p>\n
Praise==><\/p>\n
Homeru \u8912\u3081\u308b\u3001\u307b\u3081\u308b==> Homerareru\u3000\u8912\u3081\u3089\u308c\u308b\u3001\u307b\u3081\u3089\u308c\u308b<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Pay close attention to how each verb changes as it is converted into passive form. Let’s try making the sentence: I was scolded by my father. How would you say this in Japanese? Share your answers in the comment section. Answer will be posted tomorrow. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n
==> Answer is:<\/p>\n
Watashi wa chichi ni shikarareta. \u79c1\u306f\u3001\u7236\u306b\u53f1\u3089\u308c\u305f\u3002\u308f\u305f\u3057\u306f\u3001\u3061\u3061\u306b\u3000\u3057\u304b\u3089\u308c\u305f\u3002<\/p>\n
(I was scolded by my father. )<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
This morning, one of my boys\u00a0opened our refrigerator and said, “Oh no, someone ate my cake!” He was devastated as he wanted to save his cake for later. In Japanese, when something is stolen or taken away from you, we often use “passive verb” in our expression rather than “active” verb. \u00a0In the scenario above…<\/p>\n