〜れる / 〜られる
JLPT N3:light honorific
The passive form used to show respect for the person doing the action: 先生が話される (the teacher speaks). It is lighter than the special honorific verbs.
How to form it
- Make the passive form of the verb: 帰る becomes 帰られる, する becomes される, and 来る becomes 来られる.
- The subject is the respected person doing the action: 部長が会議に出席されます.
- Use it only for other people's actions.
Examples
先生はもう帰られました。
The teacher has already gone home.
部長が会議に出席されます。
The department head will attend the meeting.
Notes
- It is common in business and in the news. For more respect, use お〜になる or a special honorific verb.
- It looks exactly like the passive, and for ichidan verbs like the potential. The sign that it is honorific is that the respected subject is doing the action.
Similar meaning
- お〜になるhonorific
A more respectful honorific: お帰りになる.
Same form, different meaning
- 〜れる / 〜られるpassive
The same form as a true passive, where the subject receives the action.
- 〜える / 〜られるcan do
For ichidan verbs and 来る, the same form can mean "can".