The most easily misunderstood aspect of Japanese “れる／られる” is not the verb conjugation itself, but the fact that the same form can express the passive, potential or honorific meaning. For Group 2 verbs and “来る,” the passive and potential forms are identical, and the same ending is also used for honorific expressions.
“先生にノートを見られた” means that the teacher saw someone’s notebook, while “この映画は配信で見られる” means that the film can be watched through a streaming service. When the sentence becomes “先生がこの映画を見られた,” however, it may be an honorific expression or may mean that the teacher had an opportunity to watch the film.
When you encounter “見られる,” “食べられる” or “来られる,” you cannot automatically translate “られる” as “be…” or “can….” The final meaning changes according to who the subject is, whether “に” marks the performer of an action or a destination, and whether the sentence is describing conditions involving time or place.

Why Can Japanese れる／られる Express the Passive, Potential and Honorific Meanings?

The passive and potential forms of Japanese verbs are originally two different conjugation systems, but the standard forms of Group 2 verbs happen to be identical.

The passive form of “見る” is “見られる,” and its potential form is also “見られる.” Both the passive and potential forms of “食べる” are likewise “食べられる.” “来る” becomes “来られる” in both cases, so the meaning must be determined from the content of the sentence.

The two forms are generally different for Group 1 verbs. For example, the passive form of “書く” is “書かれる,” while its potential form is “書ける.” In many cases, the written form already allows one of the possible meanings to be ruled out.

In addition, “れる／られる” can form honorific expressions. The Group 1 form “書かれる” may be passive, or it may indicate that a respected person writes something. With a Group 2 verb, “見られる” may correspond to three functions at once: passive, potential and honorific.

Verb Type	Dictionary Form	Passive Form	Potential Form	Honorific Form
Group 1 verb	書く	書かれる	書ける	書かれる
Group 1 verb	読む	読まれる	読める	読まれる
Group 2 verb	食べる	食べられる	食べられる	食べられる
Group 2 verb	見る	見られる	見られる	見られる
Irregular verb	する	される	できる	される
Irregular verb	来る	来られる	来られる	来られる

The appearance of “れる／られる” provides only the first clue. Its actual meaning is still determined by the relationships between the people in the sentence, the particles and the context.

The Basic Difference Between the Japanese Passive and Potential Forms: Who Receives the Action, and Who Has the Ability or Opportunity?

The passive form places the perspective on the person or thing that receives an action or is affected by it. The potential form explains that someone has the ability to perform an action, or that conditions involving time, place, equipment or rules make the action possible.

For example, the subject of “私は友達に写真を見られた” is “私,” who is affected by a friend looking at the photograph, so this is the passive form.

“この場所から花火が見られる” describes a condition provided by the location and means that fireworks can be seen from that spot, so it is the potential form.

Example: 友達に写真を見られました。
Kana: ともだちにしゃしんをみられました。
Translation: My photograph was seen by a friend.
“友達に” identifies the person who looked at the photograph, while the omitted subject is the person affected by the action.
Example: この展望台から夜景が見られます。
Kana: このてんぼうだからやけいがみられます。
Translation: You can see the night view from this observation deck.
The sentence explains the viewing conditions provided by the observation deck. It does not describe the night view as receiving someone’s act of looking.
Example: 社長がこの資料を見られました。
Kana: しゃちょうがこのしりょうをみられました。
Translation: The company president looked at these materials.
“社長が” is the person performing the action, and the company president is someone who should be shown respect. “見られました” can therefore be interpreted as an honorific expression.

Conjugation Rules for the Japanese Passive and Potential Forms

Group 1 verbs have different passive and potential forms, while Group 2 verbs produce the same “〜られる” form. Identifying the verb group first can narrow down the possible interpretations.

Verb Type	Passive Conjugation	Potential Conjugation	Example
Group 1 verb	Change the final う-row sound to the corresponding あ-row sound＋れる	Change the final う-row sound to the corresponding え-row sound＋る	書かれる／書ける
Group 2 verb	Remove る＋られる	Remove る＋られる	食べられる／食べられる
する	される	できる	される／できる
来る	来られる	来られる	来られる／来られる

Four Uses of Japanese れる／られる: Passive, Potential, Adversative Passive and Honorific

When the forms are identical, check four things in order: whether someone performs an action upon another person, whether the sentence describes ability or conditions, whether the subject is inconvenienced, and whether the subject is a person who should be respected.

Use ① of れる／られる｜Passive: The Subject Receives Another Person’s Action

The subject of a passive sentence is the person or thing that receives the action. The person performing the action is commonly marked with “に,” while formal writing may also use “によって.”

“AはBにVられる” generally means that A receives the action performed by B. Even when the subject is omitted, the context may still reveal who is affected.

Example: 私は先生に名前を呼ばれました。
Kana: わたしはせんせいになまえをよばれました。
Translation: My name was called by the teacher.
“先生に” identifies the person calling the name, while “私” receives that action, so this is the passive form.
Example: 会議で部長に意見を聞かれました。
Kana: かいぎでぶちょうにいけんをきかれました。
Translation: I was asked for my opinion by the department head during the meeting.
“部長に” identifies the person asking the question. Here, “聞かれました” means “was asked,” not “was able to hear.”
Example: この映画は世界中の人に見られています。
Kana: このえいがはせかいじゅうのひとにみられています。
Translation: This film is being watched by people around the world.
The film is the object being watched, while “世界中の人に” identifies the viewers.

Use ② of れる／られる｜Potential: Expressing Ability, Conditions or Permission

The potential form answers the question “Can it be done?” The ability may come from personal skill or from conditions provided by a place, equipment, time, physical condition or system.

The object in a potential sentence is often marked with “が,” as in “魚が食べられる” and “景色が見られる.” However, “を” is also frequently used in modern Japanese, so seeing “を” does not automatically rule out the potential meaning.

Example: この店では新鮮な魚が食べられます。
Kana: このみせではしんせんなさかながたべられます。
Translation: You can eat fresh fish at this restaurant.
The restaurant provides the conditions for eating fresh fish, and no separate person performing an action upon someone else appears.
Example: ここから富士山が見られます。
Kana: ここからふじさんがみられます。
Translation: You can see Mount Fuji from here.
“ここから” identifies the viewing location, while “富士山が” is the object that can be seen.
Example: 来週の午後なら、会場に来られます。
Kana: らいしゅうのごごなら、かいじょうにこられます。
Translation: I can come to the venue next week in the afternoon.
“会場に” marks the destination of movement, not the performer in a passive sentence. The sentence explains that the time conditions allow the person to go there.

Use ③ of れる／られる｜Adversative Passive: Another Person’s Action or an External Event Causes Trouble

Japanese passive sentences do more than describe something being acted upon. They can also present an event from the perspective of a person who is negatively affected. This usage is called the “adversative passive” or “indirect passive.”

The subject does not have to be the direct object of the action. If another person’s behavior, a natural phenomenon or an unexpected event causes inconvenience to the subject, the passive form may be used.

Example: 弟にケーキを食べられました。
Kana: おとうとにケーキをたべられました。
Translation: My younger brother ate the cake, leaving me without any.
The cake remains marked with “を,” while the omitted subject is the person affected because the younger brother ate it.
Example: 旅行の日に雨に降られました。
Kana: りょこうのひにあめにふられました。
Translation: It rained on the day of the trip and disrupted our plans.
The rain did not intentionally perform an action, but the speaker was inconvenienced by it, so the adversative passive is used.
Example: 夜中に隣の人に大きな音を出されて、眠れませんでした。
Kana: よなかにとなりのひとにおおきなおとをだされて、ねむれませんでした。
Translation: The neighbor made a loud noise in the middle of the night, so I could not sleep.
The speaker is not the direct object of the sound, but is affected by the neighbor’s behavior.

Use ④ of れる／られる｜Honorific Expression: Elevating the Person Performing the Action

“れる／られる” can also express respect. In this case, the subject is the person actually performing the action, usually marked with “は” or “が,” and is a supervisor, teacher, customer or another person who should be elevated.

The honorific use has the same form as the passive, but the sentence perspective is different. In a passive sentence, the subject receives the action. In an honorific sentence, the subject personally performs it.

Example: 先生はもうこの本を読まれました。
Kana: せんせいはもうこのほんをよまれました。
Translation: The teacher has already read this book.
“先生は” is the person reading, so “読まれました” is an honorific expression rather than a passive form.
Example: 社長が午後三時に来られます。
Kana: しゃちょうがごごさんじにこられます。
Translation: The company president will arrive at three in the afternoon.
The company president is the person coming, so “来られます” can be interpreted as an honorific form rather than “can come.”
Example: お客様はこの料理を食べられました。
Kana: おきゃくさまはこのりょうりをたべられました。
Translation: The customer ate this dish.
The subject is a customer who should be respected, so the sentence can be interpreted as honorific. In actual service settings, the clearer honorific expression “召し上がりました” is also commonly used.
Although the honorific use is grammatically correct, some sentences are easily confused with the potential form. In important service situations, dedicated honorific verbs such as “ご覧になる,” “召し上がる” and “いらっしゃる” are often used because their meanings are clearer.

Understanding Particles with れる／られる: What Do に, が and を Represent?

Particles provide important clues, but one particle alone cannot determine the answer. In particular, “に” can mark the performer in a passive sentence, but it can also indicate a destination, object or time.

“Person＋に＋Verbられる” Is Often Passive, but You Must Confirm the Function of に

Example: 先生にノートを見られました。
Kana: せんせいにノートをみられました。
Translation: My notebook was seen by the teacher.
“先生に” identifies the person looking at the notebook, so this is the passive form.
Example: 来週なら先生に会えます。
Kana: らいしゅうならせんせいにあえます。
Translation: I can meet the teacher next week.
“先生に” is the person being met, not someone performing an action upon the subject, so the sentence is a potential expression.
Example: 明日は会社に来られますか。
Kana: あしたはかいしゃにこられますか。
Translation: Can you come to the company tomorrow?“会社に” marks the destination, so “来られます” expresses whether coming is possible.
When you see “に,” ask whether it marks the person who performed an action or whether it indicates a destination, object or time.

が Frequently Appears in Potential Sentences, but It Is Not an Absolute Rule

In traditional grammar, the object of a potential sentence is often marked with “が.”

日本語が話せる: Can speak Japanese
刺身が食べられる: Can eat sashimi
この景色が見られる: Can see this scenery
However, “を” is also commonly used in modern Japanese.

日本語を話せる
刺身を食べられる
この映画を見られる
Therefore, “が” is an important clue for the potential form, but it is not the only standard. You must still determine whether the whole sentence is describing ability or conditions.

How Can You Distinguish 見られる, 食べられる and 来られる? Comparing Three Sets of Identical Forms

The Three Meanings of 見られる｜Being Seen, Being Able to See and an Honorific Expression

“見られる” has three major interpretations, making it particularly useful for practicing sentence perspective.

Sentence	Interpretation	Clue
先生にノートを見られた	Passive	The teacher is the viewer, and the omitted subject is affected
この席から舞台が見られる	Potential	The location provides the viewing conditions
先生が舞台を見られた	Honorific	The teacher is the person who actually watched
多くの人に見られている	Passive	“多くの人に” identifies the viewers
配信で見られる	Potential	Streaming is the means of viewing

Example: この写真は家族に見られました。
Kana: このしゃしんはかぞくにみられました。
Translation: This photograph was seen by my family.
The photograph receives the act of viewing, while the family members are the viewers.
Example: この写真は公式サイトで見られます。
Kana: このしゃしんはこうしきサイトでみられます。
Translation: This photograph can be viewed on the official website.
The sentence explains the method of access and the conditions under which the photograph is available.
Example: 先生は公式サイトの写真を見られました。
Kana: せんせいはこうしきサイトのしゃしんをみられました。
Translation: The teacher looked at the photographs on the official website.
The teacher is the person actually looking at them, and “見られました” elevates the teacher.

The Three Meanings of 食べられる｜Being Eaten, Being Able to Eat and an Honorific Expression

“食べられる” can also have three interpretations.

Example: 用意していたケーキを弟に食べられました。
Kana: よういしていたケーキをおとうとにたべられました。
Translation: My younger brother ate the cake I had prepared.
The younger brother is the person eating the cake, while the speaker is affected because the cake was eaten. This is the adversative passive.
Example: この料理は辛くないので、子どもでも食べられます。
Kana: このりょうりはからくないので、こどもでもたべられます。
Translation: This dish is not spicy, so even children can eat it.
The sentence explains that the characteristics of the dish allow children to eat it, so it is the potential form.
Example: 部長はもう昼食を食べられました。
Kana: ぶちょうはもうちゅうしょくをたべられました。
Translation: The department head has already eaten lunch.
The department head is the person eating lunch, so this can be interpreted as an honorific expression. The clearer dedicated honorific form is “召し上がりました.”

The Three Meanings of 来られる｜Being Affected by Someone’s Arrival, Being Able to Come and an Honorific Expression

“見られる” indicates that something can be viewed because of ability, opportunity, rules or equipment. “見える,” by contrast, means that something naturally enters the field of vision without any deliberate attempt to look at it.

“見られる” is connected to the intentional action “見る,” while “見える” is closer to “be visible” or “come into view.”

Example: この美術館では、珍しい作品が見られます。
Kana: このびじゅつかんでは、めずらしいさくひんがみられます。
Translation: You can see rare works at this museum.
The museum provides the opportunity and conditions to view the works.
Example: 窓から海が見えます。
Kana: まどからうみがみえます。
Translation: The sea is visible from the window.
The sea naturally appears within the field of vision, without the need to arrange a deliberate viewing activity.
Both of the following sentences can be translated as “Mount Fuji can be seen,” but their nuances are slightly different.

富士山が見える: Mount Fuji is within view.
富士山が見られる: The place or time provides suitable conditions for viewing Mount Fuji.

Can You Use the ら-Deleted Forms 食べれる and 見れる?

In everyday speech, “ら” is frequently omitted from the potential forms of Group 2 verbs, producing forms such as “食べれる,” “見れる” and “起きれる.” These are known as “ら抜き言葉,” or ら-deleted forms.

Removing “ら” separates the potential form from the passive form.

食べられる: Be eaten／can eat／honorific
食べれる: Can eat
見られる: Be seen／can see／honorific
見れる: Can see
“食べれる” and “見れる” are very common in conversations between friends, social media posts and everyday speech. However, the standard forms “食べられる” and “見られる” are still recommended in formal writing, school assignments, JLPT examinations, résumés and business documents.

“来る” also frequently appears as “来れる” to mean “can come.”

Conversational form: 明日は来れる？
Standard form: 明日は来られる？
Even when the standard form is used, the meaning must still be determined from context. The presence or absence of “ら” alone is not enough to understand the sentence.

Complete Comparison of the Japanese Passive, Potential, Adversative Passive and Honorific Uses

Point of Comparison	Passive	Potential	Adversative Passive	Honorific
Sentence focus	The subject receives an action	Ability or conditions	The subject is negatively affected	Elevating the person performing the action
Role of the subject	Recipient of the action	Person able to act or object that can be realized	Affected person	Actual performer
Common particles	Performer＋に／によって	Object＋が／を	Cause or performer＋に	Respected person＋は／が
Common situations	Being seen, called or selected	Being able to see, eat or come	Having something eaten, being caught in rain or being disturbed	Actions by supervisors, teachers or customers
Common English translation	Be…	Can, be able to…	Be adversely affected by…	A respected person does…
Main clue	Who performs the action upon the subject	Whether ability or conditions are involved	Whether inconvenience or trouble occurs	Whether the subject should be respected

The Same 来られる Can Also Have Three Meanings

Example: 急に部長に来られて、準備が間に合いませんでした。
Kana: きゅうにぶちょうにこられて、じゅんびがまにあいませんでした。
Translation: The department head arrived unexpectedly, and I could not finish preparing in time.
“部長に” identifies the person whose arrival caused the effect, while the latter clause explains that the speaker was inconvenienced. This is the adversative passive.
Example: 明日の午後なら、こちらに来られます。
Kana: あしたのごごなら、こちらにこられます。
Translation: I can come here tomorrow afternoon.The sentence explains that the time conditions make coming possible, so it is the potential form.
Example: 先生が午後三時に来られます。
Kana: せんせいがごごさんじにこられます。
Translation: The teacher will arrive at three in the afternoon.
The teacher is the person actually coming, so this is an honorific expression.

A Step-by-Step Method for Distinguishing the Japanese Passive and Potential Forms

When you encounter “見られる,” “食べられる” or “来られる,” you can identify the meaning by following the steps below.

Step 1: Identify the Dictionary Form and Verb Type

The passive and potential forms of Group 1 verbs are generally different.

書かれる: Passive or honorific
書ける: Potential
読まれる: Passive or honorific
読める: Potential
Only Group 2 verbs and “来る” require further interpretation from the context.

Step 2: Identify the Subject of the Sentence

If the subject is the person or thing receiving the action, the form is usually passive.
If the subject performs the action and the sentence describes ability or conditions, it is usually potential.
If the subject is a supervisor, teacher or customer who personally performs the action, the honorific use must also be considered.

Step 3: Determine What に Represents

When “に” marks the person performing the action, the form is usually passive.

先生に見られた: Was seen by the teacher
When “に” marks a destination, object or time, the form is not necessarily passive.

会場に来られる: Can come to the venue
先生に会える: Can meet the teacher
三時に来られる: Can come at three

Step 4: Determine Whether the Sentence Describes Ability or Conditions

When the sentence contains information involving a place, time, equipment, physical condition, qualification or rule, the potential interpretation should usually be considered first.

この店では食べられる: The restaurant provides the conditions
招待状があれば入られる: Having an invitation provides eligibility to enter
手術後は食べられない: A physical condition limits the ability to eat
However, “入る” is a Group 1 verb, so its standard potential form should be “入れる.”

✅ 招待状があれば、会場に入れます。
If you have an invitation, you can enter the venue.

Step 5: Check Whether the Sentence Conveys Harm or Inconvenience

When the following clause contains expressions such as “困った,” “迷惑だった,” “〜てしまった” or “眠れなかった,” the form is often the adversative passive.

雨に降られて困った
I was inconvenienced by the rain.
ケーキを食べられてしまった
Someone ate my cake, unfortunately.
隣の人に騒がれて眠れなかった
The neighbor made noise, so I could not sleep.

Japanese れる／られる in Travel and Everyday Conversation

Restaurants, tourist attractions and event information frequently use the potential form to explain what can be eaten, what can be seen and whether participation is possible. In everyday life, the passive and adversative passive often appear when personal belongings are seen by someone else, food is eaten or plans are disrupted.

Situation ①｜Asking About a Seasonal Dish at a Restaurant

A restaurant’s menu and period of availability are external conditions, so the potential form is used.

A: この店では、季節限定の料理が食べられますか。
　　このみせでは、きせつげんていのりょうりがたべられますか。
　　Can you eat seasonal limited-time dishes at this restaurant?

B: はい、五月末まででしたら食べられます。
　　はい、ごがつまつまででしたらたべられます。
　　Yes, they are available until the end of May.

📌 Grammar point: Both sentences describe conditions provided by the restaurant and the period of availability, so “食べられる” is the potential form.

Situation ②｜A Friend Sees Someone’s Notebook

The friend is the person looking at the notebook, while the speaker feels troubled because a private possession was seen.

A: 休み時間に、友達にノートを見られてしまいました。
　　やすみじかんに、ともだちにノートをみられてしまいました。
　　A friend saw my notebook during the break.

B: 大切な内容なら、次からしまっておいたほうがいいですね。
　　たいせつなないようなら、つぎからしまっておいたほうがいいですね。
　　If it contains important information, you should probably put it away next time.

📌 Grammar point: “友達に” identifies the viewer, while “〜てしまいました” adds the feeling that something unwanted occurred.

Situation ③｜Asking Whether Fireworks Can Be Seen from a Hotel Room

The location of the hotel and the direction of the room determine whether the fireworks can be viewed, so the potential form is used.

A: この部屋から花火が見られますか。
　　このへやからはなびがみられますか。
　　Can the fireworks be seen from this room?

B: はい、窓の近くからよく見られます。
　　はい、まどのちかくからよくみられます。
　　Yes, you can see them clearly from near the window.

📌 Grammar point: Both “この部屋から” and “窓の近くから” identify the viewing location. The focus of the sentence is the visual conditions.

Cultural Notes:

Japanese frequently omits the subject, so when “見られた” appears by itself, the surrounding context is extremely important. You must first determine who looked, who was seen and whether the speaker was affected.
Although the honorific use of “れる／られる” is formal, it is easily confused with the passive or potential form. Service settings often use clearer dedicated honorific verbs such as “ご覧になる,” “召し上がる” and “いらっしゃる.”
ら-deleted forms are widespread in everyday speech, but standard forms remain the norm in formal writing. Understanding the conversational forms helps with listening comprehension, while the appropriate written form should be selected according to the situation.

How Does Japanese れる／られる Compare with the Korean Passive and -(으)ㄹ 수 있다?

Korean generally uses different forms for the passive and potential meanings, so they do not become identical as easily as they do with Japanese Group 2 verbs.

The Korean passive can use “-이／히／리／기-” or “-아／어지다.” For example, “문이 열리다” means that a door is opened or opens. Ability and conditions are commonly expressed with “-(으)ㄹ 수 있다,” meaning that someone can do something.

Japanese “見られる” can mean being seen, being able to see or respectfully stating that someone looks at something. Korean normally separates these meanings through different structures.

Example: 친구에게 사진을 들켰어요.
Romanization: chin-gu-e-ge sa-jin-eul deul-kyeo-sseo-yo.
Translation: My friend discovered the photograph.
Korean uses “들키다” according to the specific context to indicate that something the speaker did not want another person to see was discovered.
Example: 이 영화는 온라인으로 볼 수 있어요.
Romanization: i yeong-hwa-neun on-la-in-eu-ro bol su i-sseo-yo.
Translation: This film can be watched online.
Korean uses “볼 수 있다” to express clearly that the conditions for viewing are available.
Example: 다음 주에는 행사장에 올 수 있어요.
Romanization: da-eum ju-e-neun haeng-sa-jang-e ol su i-sseo-yo.
Translation: I can come to the event venue next week.
Korean uses “올 수 있다” to indicate that the time conditions allow the person to come.
◆ Difference from Japanese れる／られる:
Korean generally separates the passive and potential meanings through different forms. Japanese Group 2 verbs and “来る,” however, share the “〜られる” form, which may also overlap with honorific usage. Therefore, when translating Japanese, “られる” cannot automatically be matched with a Korean passive form. You must first identify the roles of the people in the sentence, then select an appropriate passive verb, “-(으)ㄹ 수 있다” or an honorific expression.

The meaning of “見られる,” “食べられる” and “来られる” cannot be determined from the ending alone. When the subject receives another person’s action, the form is usually passive. When the sentence describes ability or conditions involving time, location or equipment, it is generally potential. When another person’s behavior negatively affects the subject, it is the adversative passive. When a respected person personally performs the action, the honorific interpretation must also be considered.
Particles can narrow down the possibilities, but they cannot determine the answer by themselves. “に” may mark the performer in a passive sentence, but it may also indicate a destination or object. “が” frequently appears in potential sentences, while “を” is also common in modern Japanese. Ultimately, you still need to identify who performs which action and how the event affects the subject.

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