JLPT N4 grammar
～られる (passive) — Meaning & Examples
Turns a verb passive: "was done to." せんせいにほめられた = was praised by teacher. Also used for suffering passive and respectful speech.
The Passive Form — ～られる
The passive form lets you say "was done to" — the action happens to the subject rather than by them.
Group 1 verbs: change the final う-row sound to あ-row + れる
のむ → のまれる (to be drunk)
かく → かかれる (to be written)
よむ → よまれる (to be read)
Group 2 verbs: drop る, add られる
たべる → たべられる (to be eaten)
みる → みられる (to be seen)
Irregular:
する → される (to be done)
くる → こられる (to be come to)
Examples:
わたしはせんせいにほめられました。
— I was praised by the teacher.
でんしゃでおあしをふまれた。
— Someone stepped on my foot on the train.
あめにふられた。
— I got rained on. (Suffering passive — uniquely Japanese!)
Practice questions
Try these 3 questions on ～られる (passive). Pick an answer in your head, then open “Show answer”.
1. "せんせいにほめられた" means?
- I was praised by the teacher
- The teacher was praised
- I praised the teacher
- I will praise the teacher
Show answer
Answer: I was praised by the teacher
Passive: ほめる → ほめられる. に marks who did the action. I was praised BY the teacher.
2. Causative of たべる is?
- たべられる (taberareru)
- たべよう (tabeyou)
- たべさせられる (tabesaserareru)
- たべさせる (tabesaseru)
Show answer
Answer: たべさせる (tabesaseru)
Group 2 causative: drop る, add させる. たべる → たべさせる (make/let eat).
3. What does ～させられる express?
- I was made to do
- I make someone do
- I can do
- I want to do
Show answer
Answer: I was made to do
Causative-passive = was made/forced to do. Common for complaints about being forced.
Practise ～られる (passive) in the free app
This point is part of the “Passive & Causative Forms” lesson in A Star Japanese. Study it with examples, a quiz, flashcards and timed JLPT N4 mock exams. Free on iPhone and Android.
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Related N4 grammar points
From the same lesson: Passive & Causative Forms
Frequently asked questions
What does ～られる (passive) mean?
Turns a verb passive: "was done to." せんせいにほめられた = was praised by teacher. Also used for suffering passive and respectful speech.
Is ～られる (passive) on the JLPT N4 test?
～られる (passive) is taught in the JLPT N4 grammar course in A Star Japanese (lesson “Passive & Causative Forms”), so it is a pattern learners at this level are expected to recognise. The JLPT does not publish an official grammar list, so treat this as a study guide rather than an official requirement.
How can I practise ～られる (passive)?
Open the “Passive & Causative Forms” lesson in the free A Star Japanese app for iPhone and Android. It has examples, a quiz after every lesson, flashcards with spaced repetition and timed JLPT N4 mock exams, with no ads.