12 votes
Accepted

私に言われても versus 私が言われても

私に言われても is Suffering Passive (迷惑の受身), a kind of Indirect Passive Structure (間接受身構文), and 私が言われても is Direct Passive Structure (直接受身構文). 「(あなたが)私に言う」 (Active/能動) "You tell me." → Direct Passive: 「私が(...
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10 votes

How to say "by ___"

"に" coupled with the passive form of a verb will do the trick. I was rejected by him 彼に断られた I was laughed at by him 彼に笑われた In the above examples, the English "by" would ...
10 votes
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Meaning of 小せェもんに縛られてる

This 小せえもん ("trivial things") is a paraphrase of 国のため(とか). It's read like trivial things such as "for our country" or "For our country"... such trivial things. In other words, this guy is making light ...
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10 votes
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Understanding 軍服に着られた

It is a rhetorical use of passive voice. 服に着られる basically means the person in the clothes gives a funny impression, e.g. the size is too big, it simply does not go well, etc. (Added) It is less common ...
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9 votes
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Why is に used with this verb?

逃げられたの 彼氏に!! As you've noticed, this is an inverted word order of: 彼氏に逃げられたの 逃げられた here is Suffering Passive (迷惑の受身), which is a kind of Indirect Passive (間接受身). As you know, in passive ...
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8 votes
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Meaning of volitional passive form

「何, どこ, だれ, いつ etc. + ~~(よ)うが」 「何, どこ, だれ, いつ etc. + ~~(よ)うと(も)」 「何, どこ, だれ, いつ etc. + ~~ても」 mean "No matter what, where, who, etc. ~~". For example: 何を言おうが / 何を言おうと(も) / 何を言っても (No matter what ~~...
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8 votes

Can the auxiliary ~やがる be used with passive voice?

あいつに邪魔されやがった isn't ungrammatical, but it would be unnatural in the context you're probably thinking of, because やがる indicates negative feeling towards the subject of the verb it's attached to. So in ...
  • 6,601
8 votes

Direct or indirect passive form?

外国人に質問を聞かれたが、答えられなかった。 I interpret the sentence as "I was asked a question by a foreigner but couldn't answer" (に in 外国人に marks 動作主/agent of 聞く), and I don't think it's Indirect Passive Structure (...
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8 votes

The meaning of ”あれは魔術師に与えられた祝福”

あれは魔術師に与えられた祝福(だ) is ambiguous. That is a blessing given to a sorcerer. (the same as あれは魔術師へ与えられた祝福だ, which is unambiguous) That is a blessing given by a sorcerer. (the same as あれは魔術師{から/より}与えられた祝福だ, ...
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8 votes
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Meaning of 怒られた, scolded or angry at?

In this case it is 方言を知らない人(A)が(方言を使う人Bに)「これをなげて」と言われて、「投げる」だと(Aが)解釈して、(Aが)ごみを投げ返して(Bに)怒られたという話がある。 And the 怒られる is just a standard passive of “BがAに怒った” (B ‘madded at’ A) → “AがBに怒られた” (A got ‘...
7 votes

Does indirect passive allow for the を in "四方を海に囲まれる"

(Here I'm trying to show why 四方を海に囲まれる is not direct passive. Please see this as an appendix to broccoliforest's answer and reply to KentaroTomono's comment.) First, OP's second sentence 四方が海に囲まれる is ...
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7 votes

How does one make potential passive in Japanese?

According to Imabi Passive and the potential is impossible. ...Even if it does sound feasible, ~ことができる would be the closest match. ...Japanese doesn't allow grammatical items to be doubled next ...
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7 votes
Accepted

Subject and object of a passive sentence are interchangeable?

I'll present one model for thinking about Japanese passives -- hopefully it will help. Consider the underlying active sentence: 誰かが [私の]背中を 押した。 To make it passive, you demote the が-marked ...
7 votes
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Grammar and meaning of 凝りに凝って出された

A(連用形)にA(活用) uses repetition of the same verb as a pattern for emphasis; the 活用 part is often seen as ~て or ~た. Here 凝{こ}る means to pour an inordinate amount of focus / energy into something. To give ...
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7 votes
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Difference between 〜に限らない and 〜に限られていない?

限られていない is the te-form of the passive voice of 限る, followed by いる to denote the continuation of state. So the literal translation is "has not been limited". Basically ~ていない focuses more on how things ...
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7 votes
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"Was Warned that ..." (correct word choice / use of passive?)

I was also warned that Japan has very hot summers and that I should be careful. How about... 日本の夏はとても(orすごく)暑いので気をつけるように、とも言われました。 「~~ように(と)言う」 means "tell someone to do~~". Its passive form is ...
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7 votes

What is 誘われて (Sasowarete) in this song lyric?

The base 誘う's te-form would be 誘って, but it's not just the basic 誘う. 誘う = base 誘われる = passive form 誘われて = passive form's te-form In your song it indicates to be invited by something/someone.
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6 votes

Does indirect passive allow for the を in "四方を海に囲まれる"

Your question actually contains multiple topics. Is 四方を海に囲まれる an indirect passive sentence? Does this type of passive allow for the を? Is 四方が海に囲まれる correct as well? Spoiler: 1.—Maybe, 2.—...
6 votes
Accepted

もらわれていくの grammar

It's possible to explain the grammar (and that's what OP asked for) もらわ: The nai-form of the verb もらう ("to receive/get/take"). れ: The te-form of the auxiliary verb れる, which forms the passive voice. ...
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6 votes

Grammar and meaning of 凝りに凝って出された

Repetition of verbs are very often used to emphasize the significance or insignificance of the speaker’s or hearer’s action. It depends on the context. For instances: 選りも選ってこんな品を寄越したな! – You sent me ...
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6 votes

When to use 受身形 (passive voice) And when to use 能動形 (active voice)?

ジョンは先生に質問をした focuses on what John did, whereas 先生はジョンに質問をされた focuses on what happened to the teacher. As you know, the word marked with は is the topic of the sentence. These two sentences look equally ...
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6 votes
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Is there a reason why the passive and the potential form are identical (at least for える/いる verbs)?

Etymologically, various usages of れる/られる derived from one base meaning, "without someone's will". In modern Japanese, れる/られる is still sometimes used in this sense (known as 自発【じはつ】 or "...
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6 votes
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Difference between します and されます

The basic difference between します and されます is simple; します is active and されます is passive (and sometimes honorific). 紹介します。 I will introduce (someone to someone). 紹介されます。 I will be introduced (to ...
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6 votes

Could you please explain the use of passive voice in the following sentences?

This is going to be long, so bear with me. One of the main reasons the passive voice is used in language is to be able to control 1) the flow of information and 2) what the subject/topic is at any ...
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