Mastering Japanese Verb Voices: Potential, Causative, Passive & Beyond
Welcome to one of the most rewarding chapters in your Edexcel A Level Japanese journey! In English, we often change voice by adding extra helping words like "can", "make someone do", or "was done by". In Japanese, verbs transform from within through elegant conjugations.
Whether you are tackling the Paper 1 reading and research tasks or writing essays and translations in Paper 2, mastering these verb forms will give you the precision and sophistication needed for top marks. Don't worry if these verb endings look similar at first—we will break each one down step-by-step with clear rules, patterns, and memory tricks!
1. Quick Refresher: The Three Verb Groups
Before jumping into the transformations, let's quickly review how Japanese verbs are categorized:
- Group 1 (Godan / Consonant-stem verbs): Verbs ending in the -u row, such as 書く (kaku - to write), 飲む (nomu - to drink), 話す (hanasu - to speak), 待つ (matsu - to wait), and 買う (kau - to buy).
- Group 2 (Ichidan / Vowel-stem verbs): Verbs ending in -iru or -eru, such as 食べる (taberu - to eat), 褒める (homeru - to praise), and 見る (miru - to see).
- Irregular Verbs: Just two essentials to memorize—する (suru - to do) and 来る (kuru - to come).
2. The Potential Form (可能形 - Kanōkei)
The potential form expresses ability ("can do") or circumstance ("it is possible to do").
How to Conjugate
- Group 1: Shift the final -u vowel sound to the -e vowel column and add る (ru).
書く (kak-u) \(\implies\) 書ける (kakeru) (can write)
飲む (nom-u) \(\implies\) 飲める (nomeru) (can drink)
話す (hanas-u) \(\implies\) 話せる (hanaseru) (can speak)
待つ (mat-u) \(\implies\) 待てる (materu) (can wait)
買う (ka-u) \(\implies\) 買える (kaeru) (can buy) - Group 2: Drop る (ru) and attach られる (rareru).
食べる (taberu) \(\implies\) 食べられる (taberareru) (can eat)
見る (miru) \(\implies\) 見られる (mirareru) (can see) - Irregular:
する (suru) \(\implies\) できる (dekiru)
来る (kuru) \(\implies\) 来られる (korareru)
Crucial Particle Rule: The を to が Shift
When an action verb becomes potential, the direct object marker を (o) standardly changes to が (ga) in formal A Level Japanese.
Example:
Standard: 日本語を話します (Nihongo o hanashimasu - I speak Japanese).
Potential: 日本語が話せます (Nihongo ga hanasemasu - I can speak Japanese).
Exam Warning (ら抜き言葉 - ra-nuki): In everyday casual speech, Japanese speakers sometimes drop the -ra- in Group 2 (e.g. saying tabereru instead of taberareru). In Edexcel A Level essays and translations, ら抜き言葉 is strictly penalized. Always write 食べられる!
Section Key Takeaway: Group 1 shifts to the -e row + ru; Group 2 adds -rareru. Mark your direct object with が.
3. The Causative Form (使役形 - Shiekikei)
The causative form expresses making someone do something (coercion/force) or letting someone do something (permission).
How to Conjugate
- Group 1: Shift the final -u vowel to the -a column and add せる (seru).
書く (kaku) \(\implies\) 書かせる (kakaseru) (make/let write)
飲む (nomu) \(\implies\) 飲ませる (nomaseru) (make/let drink)
Special reminder for verbs ending in a standalone vowel -u (like 買う kau): they shift to -awa-! 買う \(\implies\) 買わせる (kawaseru). - Group 2: Drop る (ru) and add させる (saseru).
食べる (taberu) \(\implies\) 食べさせる (tabesaseru) (make/let eat) - Irregular:
する (suru) \(\implies\) させる (saseru)
来る (kuru) \(\implies\) 来させる (kosaseru)
Sentence Patterns & Avoiding the "Double を" Trap
How you mark the person being made to do the action (the "causee") depends entirely on whether the base verb is intransitive or transitive:
1. With Intransitive Verbs (No direct object needed):
Pattern: [Causator] は [Causee] を [Intransitive Causative Verb]
Example: 先生は生徒を走らせた。(Sensei wa seito o hashiraseta. — The teacher made the students run.)
2. With Transitive Verbs (An object is already using を):
Pattern: [Causator] は [Causee] に [Object] を [Transitive Causative Verb]
Example: 母は子どもに野菜を食べさせた。(Haha wa kodomo ni yasai o tabesaseta. — The mother made the child eat vegetables.)
Why に? Japanese sentences avoid having two direct objects marked with を in the same clause!
Polite Requests with Causative
Combine the causative with 〜てください (-te kudasai) to ask for permission:
行かせてください (Ikasete kudasai) — "Please let me go."
Section Key Takeaway: Group 1 takes -aseru; Group 2 takes -saseru. Use を for the causee with intransitive verbs, and に with transitive verbs.
4. The Passive Form (受身形 - Ukemikei) & Its Variations
In passive sentences, the grammatical subject is the receiver of the action rather than the doer. Once conjugated into the passive form, all verbs behave as Group 2 (Ichidan) verbs.
How to Conjugate
- Group 1: Shift the final -u vowel to the -a column and add れる (reru).
書く (kaku) \(\implies\) 書かれる (kakareru) (to be written)
叱る (shikaru) \(\implies\) 叱られる (shikarareru) (to be scolded)
読む (yomu) \(\implies\) 読まれる (yomareru) (to be read)
言う (iu) \(\implies\) 言われる (iwareru) (to be told) - Group 2: Drop る (ru) and add られる (rareru).
褒める (homeru) \(\implies\) 褒められる (homerareru) (to be praised) - Irregular:
する (suru) \(\implies\) される (sareru)
来る (kuru) \(\implies\) 来られる (korareru)
The 4 Types of Passive Tested at A Level
Type A: Direct Passive (直接受身)
The subject directly receives the action. The person performing the action is marked with に (ni).
Pattern: [Recipient] は [Agent] に [Verb-Passive]
Example: 田中さんは先生に褒められた。(Tanaka-san wa sensei ni homerareta. — Tanaka was praised by the teacher.)
Type B: Possessive / Indirect Passive (持ち主の受身)
Someone does an action to something that belongs to you (a possession or body part), causing you inconvenience or distress.
Pattern: [Victim] は [Agent] に [Victim's item] を [Verb-Passive]
Example: 私は泥棒に財布を盗まれた。(Watashi wa dorobō ni saifu o nusumareta. — I had my wallet stolen by a thief.)
Type C: The Suffering / Adversative Passive (迷惑の受身 - Meiwaku no Ukemi)
This is a unique Japanese feature that often surprises English speakers. You can turn intransitive verbs into passive verbs to express that the subject suffered negative consequences, grief, or annoyance from an event.
Pattern: [Suffering Subject] は [Source/Agent] に [Intransitive Verb-Passive]
- 私は雨に降られた。(Watashi wa ame ni furareta. — I was rained on / caught in the rain.)
- 赤ちゃんに泣かれて、勉強ができなかった。(Akachan ni nakarete, benkyō ga dekinakatta. — The baby cried on me, so I couldn't study.)
- 父親に死なれて、困っている。(Chichioya ni shinarete, komatte iru. — Suffering hardship due to the death of one's father.)
Type D: The Historical / Invention Passive using によって (ni yotte)
When reporting objective facts about inventions, discoveries, literary works, or historical buildings, you must use によって instead of the particle に to mark the creator.
Pattern: [Inanimate Object / Work] は [Creator / Scientist / Author] によって [Verb-Passive]
- 『坊っちゃん』は夏目漱石によって書かれた。('Botchan' wa Natsume Sōseki ni yotte kakareta. — 'Botchan' was written by Natsume Soseki.)
- 電話はベルによって発明された。(Denwa wa Beru ni yotte hatsumei sareta. — The telephone was invented by Bell.)
Exam Note: Using standard に for historical creations (e.g. *本は彼に書かれた) sounds unnatural or implies the book suffered! Always use によって for creations and discoveries.
5. The Causative-Passive Form (使役受身形 - Shieki-ukemikei)
What happens when you combine Causative ("make do") + Passive ("done to")? You get the Causative-Passive form, which translates to: "to be forced/made to do something against one's will."
How to Conjugate
- Group 1 (Godan Verbs) — Two Options:
1. Full / Long form: -a column + せられる (serareru) \(\implies\) 書かせられる (kakaserareru)
2. Contracted / Short form (Standard & natural in modern Japanese): -a column + される (sareru) \(\implies\) 書かされる (kakasareru), 飲まされる (nomasareru), 待たされる (matasareru). - Group 2 (Ichidan Verbs):
Drop る (ru) and add させられる (saserareru).
食べる \(\implies\) 食べさせられる (tabesaserareru) (to be made to eat) - Irregular:
する \(\implies\) させられる (saserareru)
来る \(\implies\) こさせられる (kosaserareru)
CRITICAL EXCEPTION FOR GROUP 1: Verbs ending in す (-su) (such as 話す hanasu) CANNOT take the contracted form. You must write 話させられる (hanasaserareru). Writing *話さされる is grammatically incorrect.
Sentence Pattern
Pattern: [Subordinate / Person made to act] は [Authoritative Agent] に [Action-Causative-Passive]
Example: 私は母に部屋を掃除させられた。(Watashi wa haha ni heya o sōji saserareta. — I was made to clean the room by my mother.)
6. Summary Comparison & Quick Reference Table
| Verb Base | Potential (Can do) | Causative (Make/Let do) | Passive (Is done / Suffers) | Causative-Passive (Forced to do) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 書く (kaku) [Gr. 1] | 書ける | 書かせる | 書かれる | 書かされる / 書かせられる |
| 話す (hanasu) [Gr. 1] | 話せる | 話させる | 話される | 話させられる (no short form!) |
| 食べる (taberu) [Gr. 2] | 食べられる | 食べさせる | 食べられる | 食べさせられる |
| する (suru) [Irr.] | できる | させる | される | させられる |
| 来る (kuru) [Irr.] | 来られる (korareru) | 来させる (kosaseru) | 来られる (korareru) | 来させられる (kosaserareru) |
7. Top 5 Pitfalls to Avoid in Your Exam
- Telling Group 2 Potential and Passive Apart: Notice that 食べる becomes 食べられる for both potential ("can eat") and passive ("is eaten"). Use context and particles to distinguish them:
ケーキが食べられる \(\implies\) Potential ("I can eat cake").
誰かにケーキを食べられた \(\implies\) Suffering passive ("Someone ate my cake!"). - The Double を Blunder: In causative sentences with transitive verbs, always mark the person being instructed with に, never を (e.g. 妹に本を読ませた, NOT *妹を本を...).
- Forgetting によって for Creations: Whenever an essay topic touches on art, literature, inventions, or architecture, mark the creator with によって.
- Over-literal Translation of Suffering Passives: Don't try to translate English "I was rained on" literally with prepositions. Use the elegant Japanese intransitive suffering passive: 雨に降られた.
- Shortening -す Verbs in Causative-Passive: Remember that verbs ending in -su must always use the full 〜させられる ending.