JLPT N4 Grammar – The Basics of Active and Passive Voice
Table of Contents
1. The Basics of Active and Passive Voice
2. Active Voice and Passive Voice
3. Passive for Ownership
4. Emphasizing Harm or Damage
5. “わたしは～” VS “わたしの～”
6. Summary
7. Similer Articles
8. Comment
Q: Is there a difference in meaning between “わたしのカメラが弟に壊された” and “わたしは弟にカメラを壊された”?
A: Both are grammatically correct passive sentences, but the focus of the expression differs.
“わたしのカメラが弟に壊された” places emphasis on the object (the camera), making the sentence more objective.
In contrast, “わたしは弟にカメラを壊された” emphasizes the person (me) who was negatively affected, giving the sentence a more subjective nuance.
In short, the choice of sentence reflects where the speaker’s attention or emotional focus lies. Let’s take a closer look.
Active Voice and Passive Voice
Let’s first review the meanings of “active voice” and “passive voice.”
■ What is the Active Voice?
The active voice is a sentence pattern in which the person performing the action (the agent) is the subject of the sentence, and the action is expressed using forms like “～する” or “～している.”
[Examples]
日本人は米を食べます。
Japanese people eat rice.
多くの人がこの本を読んでいます。
Many people read this book.
先生はわたしを怒りました。
The teacher scolded me.
■ What is the Passive Voice?
The passive voice is a sentence pattern in which the person or thing receiving the action becomes the subject of the sentence. The action is expressed using forms like “～される” or “～されている,” and the agent (the one performing the action) is indicated with “〜に.”
[Examples]
米は日本人に食べられています。
Rice is eaten by Japanese people.
この本は多くの人に読まれています。
This book is read by many people.
わたしは先生に怒られました。
I was scolded by the teacher.
In this way, the passive voice exists in contrast to the active voice.
Passive for Ownership
The “passive for ownership” refers to a grammatical pattern used when a part of one’s body or something one owns (e.g., a bag, leg, smartphone, etc.) is affected by someone else’s action, often resulting in harm or inconvenience.
In such cases, the subject “my 〜” is implicitly understood, so in Japanese it is common to omit “わたし” (I) if the context makes it clear.
[Examples]
大切な本が破られました。
My important book was torn.
子供にタブレットを壊されてしまいました。
My child broke my tablet.
海外旅行中にスマホが盗まれて大変でした。
My smartphone was stolen while I was traveling abroad, and it was a big problem.
(In the case of another person)
田中さんは旅行中にパスポートを盗まれました。
Mr. Tanaka had his passport stolen during his trip.
This kind of passive voice, called “passive for ownership,” is used to describe an unwanted or unfortunate event that happened to the owner.
Emphasizing Harm or Damage
As previously explained, the active voice and passive voice in Japanese exist as a pair.
Let’s take a look at the following examples:
| Active Voice | Passive Voice |
|---|---|
| 弟は わたしのカメラを壊しました。 My younger brother broke my camera. | わたしは 弟に カメラを壊されました。 I had my camera broken by my younger brother. |
In this example, when converting to the passive form, “わたし” becomes the subject. Since the owner of “my camera” is obvious from context, it is often omitted in the passive sentence.
Here are more examples:
| Active Voice | Passive Voice |
|---|---|
| 泥棒がわたしのお金を盗りました。 A thief stole my money. | わたしは泥棒にお金を盗られました。 I had my money stolen by a thief. |
| Active Voice | Passive Voice |
|---|---|
| だれかがわたしの足を踏みました。 Someone stepped on my foot. | わたしは（だれかに）足を踏まれました。 I had my foot stepped on (by someone). |
*When the agent (doer) of the action is unclear, it can be omitted.
In this way, the passive form with “〜される” is also used to express situations where the speaker experiences harm, inconvenience, or unwanted outcomes.
“わたしは～” VS “わたしの～”
Lastly, let’s look at the difference between “わたしは弟にカメラを壊された” and “わたしのカメラが弟に壊された.”
Both of these sentences are grammatically correct and understandable, but they differ in focus and nuance.
“わたしは弟にカメラを壊された”
・Focus: The person who suffered the harm (わたし)
・Nuance: Emphasizes the speaker’s sense of having suffered an unintended loss
・Similar to saying “How terrible! My camera got broken!”
“わたしのカメラが弟に壊された”
・Focus: The object that suffered the damage (the camera)
・Nuance: More objective and calm in tone
・Even if the speaker feels shocked, this structure downplays the emotional aspect grammatically
In short, the sentence starting with “わたしは～” focuses on the victim’s perspective and emotion, while “わたしの～” is closer to a factual description of the event.
Both are grammatically correct, but the impression they give can be quite different, so it’s important to be aware of that.
Summary
- Japanese grammar has active and passive voice as corresponding forms.
- Therefore, the active sentence “弟はわたしのカメラを壊した (My younger brother broke my camera)” corresponds to the passive sentence “わたしは弟にカメラを壊された (I had my camera broken by my younger brother.)”
- The sentence “わたしは弟にカメラを壊された (I had my camera broken by my younger brother)” places focus on the person who suffered the harm (me). It emphasizes the fact that I was unintentionally affected in a negative way.
- On the other hand, the sentence “わたしのカメラが弟に壊された (My camera was broken by my younger brother)” focuses on the object that was harmed (my camera). It gives a somewhat more objective description, and compared to when the speaker is the subject, it sounds less like the speaker was directly affected by the action.
Similer Articles
- JLPT N2・N4 Grammar – The difference between ”〜にくい”, ”〜づらい” and “〜がたい”
- JLPT N4・N5 Vocabulary – The difference between “聞けない” and “聞こえない”
- JLPT N4・N5 Grammar – The difference between “〜けど” and “〜のに”
- JLPT N3・N4 Grammar – The difference between “〜ように” and “〜通りに”
- JLPT N4 Vocabulary – The difference between “何でも” and “何も”
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