華陵高校に行きました(2025年7月3日)

• Simple passive: You receive an action (something is done TO you)
• Causative passive: You’re forced to perform an action (you’re made to DO something)

The causative passive typically implies unwillingness or inconvenience, while simple passive can be neutral.

• このりんごは食べられますか。 – Potential passive: “Is this apple edible?”
• このりんごを食べられますか、それとも、お腹いっぱいですか。 – Potential: “Can you eat this apple, or are you full?”
• きょうだいにりんごを食べられました。 – Suffering passive: “My sibling ate my apple.”
• わたしはクジラに食べられました。 – True passive: “I was eaten by a whale.”
• このりんごをこのまま食べられますか。 – Potential OR Respectful: “Can you eat this apple as it is?” OR “Would you like to eat this apple as it is?”

The られる form can also express respect/politeness when addressing someone of higher status or being polite to guests, adding another layer of complexity to its usage.

Particles (は/を/に) and context are crucial for determining whether られる/される expresses potential, passive, suffering, or respect.