The Passive Voice (受身形): Not just 'was done' but also 'was... annoyed'! 😩

When you first learn Japanese, you're taught the passive voice (〜られる・される) with a rather simple structure: "Person/Thing A was done something by Person/Thing B". For example,「私は先生に褒められた」(I was praised by the teacher).

But if you live in Japan long enough, you'll hear passive sentences that sound very... strange. For example:

「雨に降られたんだよ〜最悪！」

Wait a minute,「雨に降られた」(ame ni furareta)? Translated word-for-word, it means "was rained on"? 🤨 Why not just say「雨が降った」(ame ga futta) - "it rained"?

This is one of the "secrets" to speaking Japanese as naturally as a native speaker: The Suffering Passive (迷惑の受身形 - meiwaku no ukemikei).

😠 What is the Suffering Passive?

This is the use of the passive voice to express that an action (whether intentional or not) has caused trouble, annoyance, or a negative impact on the speaker. It emphasizes the speaker's feelings more than the event itself.

Let's break down some classic examples:

1. 「雨に降られた」- Was rained on

• When you say: 「雨が降った」(It rained)
  • Meaning: Simply stating the fact that it rained. No particular emotion.
• When you say: 「雨に降られた」 (Was rained on)
  • Meaning: It rained and that annoyed me. 🌧️ Maybe I forgot my umbrella, got soaked, or my plans to go out were cancelled. This sentence contains the speaker's frustration and bad luck.

2. 「子供に泣かれた」- Was cried on by a child

• When you say: 「子供が泣いた」(My child cried)
  • Meaning: Describes the fact that the baby cried.
• When you say: 「子供に泣かれた」(Was cried on by my child)
  • Meaning: My child cried and I had a hard time/it was troublesome/I was in a difficult situation because of it. 👶😭 Maybe it was on a quiet train, or I couldn't get them to stop crying. You are the "victim" of that crying.

3. 「友達に先に帰られた」- Was left by a friend who went home first

• When you say: 「友達が先に帰った」(My friend went home first)
  • Meaning: Objectively reports that the friend went home first.
• When you say: 「友達に先に帰られた」(Was left by a friend who went home first)
  • Meaning: My friend went home first and left me alone, which made me feel a bit sad/disappointed. 🚶‍♀️💨 It subtly expresses the feeling of being "left behind."

✨ Why should you use it?

Using the "Suffering Passive" will help you:

1. Express emotions naturally: Instead of a long-winded explanation like "It rained so I was annoyed," just one sentence「雨に降られた」is enough for a Japanese person to understand your feelings.
2. Sound more "native": This is an extremely common expression in daily communication that textbooks rarely emphasize.
3. Create empathy: When you "complain" skillfully, the listener will easily empathize and respond with something like「え、大変だったね！」(Oh, that must have been tough!).

Next time you encounter something that doesn't go your way, try using this structure. I guarantee your conversation will be on a whole new level! 😉