Is it possible to use the 受身形 on a 自動詞


Hello I was wondering if I could use a 自動詞 with the 受身形 for example:

> ここから、月が見える : from here, the moon is visible (I can see the moon)
>
> ここから、月が見えられる : from here, the moon is visible

I don't understand much the difference between except that in the second one,
I feel like it is supposed that there is someone looking at the sky, and the
moon is visible by him I think...

I know it could also mean "the moon can be visible" but my question is about
the passive voice

Another example:

> 猿が落ちる
>
> 猿が落ちられる

The second sentence doesn't make much sense to me, I would like to know if I'm
wrong and how you understand these sentences, thanks!




Yes, it is very possible to use the passive with an intransitive verb in
Japanese. It just has a different meaning than what you normally think of when
you use passive.

Japanese actually has two types of passives. The first is the one you already
know- an action is done to the subject by the agent. The subject is marked
with は/が and the agent is marked with に. This can only be used with transitive
verbs.

> 彼は車に押し倒された。 He was knocked over by a car.

The second one is often called a "suffering passive". It means something
happened, and inflicted misfortune onto someone else. Unlike the first
passive, this one doesn't have a direct English equivalent. The subject is the
one who "suffers" and is marked with は/が, the agent is marked with に, and the
direct object (if the verb is transitive) is marked with を.

> 私は蛇に脚をかまれた。A snake bit me in the leg. (Transitive)
>
> 私は妻に死なれた。My wife died. (Intransitive)

(Native speakers would probably omit the 私は, but I added it for completeness.)

In these examples, the subject/topic is suffering from the action. You should
also note that the it is almost always animate. To have an inanimate object
suffer wouldn't make much sense.




Yes, it is very possible to use the passive with an intransitive verb in
Japanese. It just has a different meaning than what you normally think of when
you use passive.

Japanese actually has two types of passives. The first is the one you already
know- an action is done to the subject by the agent. The subject is marked
with は/が and the agent is marked with に. This can only be used with transitive
verbs.

> 彼は車に押し倒された。 He was knocked over by a car.

The second one is often called a "suffering passive". It means something
happened, and inflicted misfortune onto someone else. Unlike the first
passive, this one doesn't have a direct English equivalent. The subject is the
one who "suffers" and is marked with は/が, the agent is marked with に, and the
direct object (if the verb is transitive) is marked with を.

> 私は蛇に脚をかまれた。A snake bit me in the leg. (Transitive)
>
> 私は妻に死なれた。My wife died. (Intransitive)

(Native speakers would probably omit the 私は, but I added it for completeness.)

In these examples, the subject/topic is suffering from the action. You should
also note that the it is almost always animate. To have an inanimate object
suffer wouldn't make much sense.

