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Context:

Person A, has just left to look for persons B, and it would be bad if she met them. Person C comments on this saying:

まずいな。 今彼女にBたちの所に行かれては……!

There are two things that kinda confuse me. For one why is both A (彼女) and B marked with に. I'd think it would be used primarily as a location but here it's used with the subject/doer.

I guess it could indicate on which is いく being performed since it's passive.

Or, given 今 it might be be to make 今彼女 into an adverb of a kind. So it would be: "If she goes to Bs as she is now..."

Second thing is ては bit. I'm guessing て here is to chain into a outcome verb. So this is IF.

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今彼女Bたちの所行かれては

The first に marks the agent (doer) of the verb 行く. 彼女に行かれる is the suffering passive (迷惑の受身) form of 彼女が行く. Compare:

子供が泣いた vs (私が)子供に泣かれた
妻が先立つ vs (私が)妻に先立たれる

The second に marks the location/destination where 彼女 is going.


Second thing is ては bit. I'm guessing て here is to chain into a outcome verb. So this is IF.

You're right that the ては means "if." 倒置 (Anastrophe) has occurred in your example. The original/normal word order should be:

今彼女にBたちの所に行かれてはまずいな。
"It's no good if she goes to B's place now."

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  • Typo probably. 彼女 = "she" right?
    – G-Cam
    Commented Apr 26, 2018 at 14:09
  • @G-Cam あ。「彼女たち」じゃなくて「彼女」だったわ・・
    – chocolate
    Commented Apr 26, 2018 at 14:11
  • Ah, okay. So it is a target of passive. I still don't get though why use such a form? Is there some nuance in using that rather than something like "今彼女がBたちの所に行っては"? Commented Apr 26, 2018 at 20:12
  • You can find lots of reading material if you search "suffering passive".
    – Leebo
    Commented Apr 26, 2018 at 22:15
  • @4th Is there some nuance-- Yes, it has a nuance that her action (she goes to B's) is not desirable and the speaker feels/will be annoyed/bothered by that.
    – chocolate
    Commented Apr 26, 2018 at 23:51

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