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Teach Us, Teacher

Passive expression (Lesson 23)

We use the passive expression, when speaking from the perspective of the person who was acted upon, that is, the perspective of the recipient of an action. To do this, we use the passive form of a verb and indicate who did the action, using the particle, NI. Now, let me tell you how to conjugate MASU-form verbs to the passive form. First are the verbs where the vowel in the syllable just before MASU ends with "E". In these verbs, before MASU, you insert RARE. So, TABEMASU (to eat) becomes TABERAREMASU (to be eaten).

The second type is the verbs where the vowel in the syllable just before MASU is "I". For these verbs, there are two patterns. One pattern is to change this vowel "I" to "A". Then, you add RE, after it, and say MASU. In the case of SHIKARIMASU (to scold), you change RI before MASU to RA and add RE. So it becomes SHIKARAREMASU (to be scolded). SHIMASU (to do) becomes SAREMASU (to be done).The other pattern is you insert RARE before MASU. MIMASU (to watch) becomes MIRAREMASU (to be watched).

Finally, let me introduce a verb which conjugates irregularly. KIMASU (to come or to visit) becomes KORAREMASU (to be visited). So, please memorize this as it is.
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