You know "I was scolded by the teacher" can be:
先生に叱られた。
Or:
先生から叱られた。
Both are correct, but the nuance is different. Add によって and で, and suddenly there are four particles for marking the doer in passive sentences. How do you choose?
Four Particles at a Glance
| Particle | When to Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| に | Most versatile — people/animals | 犬に噛まれた (bitten by a dog) |
| から | Emphasizes the other party's initiative | 先輩から注意された (was warned by a senior) |
| によって | Organizations/institutions/specific creators | この橋は有名な建築家によって設計された |
| で | Natural phenomena/inanimate forces | 台風で屋根が飛ばされた (roof blown off by typhoon) |
に: The Default Passive Particle
90% of passive sentences work fine with just に. It marks "the person who performed the action."
- 母に起こされた。 → I was woken up by my mother.
- 猫にソファーを引っ掻かれた。 → The sofa was scratched by the cat.
- 先生に褒められた。 → I was praised by the teacher.
から: Emphasizing Initiative
から and に are often interchangeable, but there's a subtle difference:
に → Simply marks the doer (neutral)
から → Emphasizes the action was actively initiated by the other party
Feel the difference:
- 先生に注意された。 → I was warned by the teacher. (It happened)
- 先生から注意された。 → The teacher actively came and warned me. (Emphasizes the teacher took initiative)
When is から preferred?
-
The other party actively conveyed information: 知らされた (was informed), 連絡された (was contacted)
-
The other party actively gave something
-
友達からプロポーズされた。 → I was proposed to by a friend. (Emphasis: they took the initiative)
-
会社から解雇された。 → I was fired by the company. (The notice came from the company)
によって: Organizations, Institutions, Specific Figures
によって is used in more formal, objective contexts, typically in these situations:
1. Organizations/institutions as the doer
-
この地域は金融機関により管理されている。 → This area is managed by a financial institution.
-
新しい法案が国会によって承認された。 → The new bill was approved by the National Diet.
2. Specific creators/inventors (emphasizing "by whose hand")
-
この建物は有名な建築家によって建てられた。 → This building was designed by a famous architect.
-
相対性理論はアインシュタインによって発表された。 → The theory of relativity was published by Einstein.
Quick test: If you'd use "by" in a formal English sentence, it's probably によって.
Spoken vs Written
によって is written language. It's rarely used in conversation — people usually just use に:
- Written: この作品は村上春樹によって書かれた。
- Spoken: この作品は村上春樹に書かれた。 (Acceptable but less formal)
で: Natural Phenomena and Inanimate Forces
When the "doer" isn't a person but a natural force or event, use で:
-
台風で多くの木が倒された。 → Many trees were knocked down by the typhoon.
-
地震で建物が壊された。 → The building was damaged by the earthquake.
-
火事で資料が焼かれてしまった。 → The documents were burned in the fire.
Why not に? Because typhoons and earthquakes aren't conscious "doers" — they're causes/forces, so we use で (the particle for cause/means).
Decision Flowchart
Not sure which particle to use? Follow this order:
| Step | Ask Yourself | Choose |
|---|---|---|
| ① | Is the doer a natural phenomenon/inanimate force? | → で |
| ② | Is the doer an organization/institution/specific creator? | → によって |
| ③ | Want to emphasize the other party took initiative? | → から |
| ④ | None of the above | → に |
Self-Test
Q1. Choose the particle: 「この小説は夏目漱石（ ）書かれた。」
Show answer
によって. A specific creator (famous author), emphasizing "by whose hand." 「この小説は夏目漱石によって書かれた。」
Q2. Choose the particle: 「大雪（ ）電車が止められた。」
Show answer
で. The doer is a natural phenomenon (heavy snow). 「大雪で電車が止められた。」
Q3. 「彼女（ ）突然別れを告げられた。」Both に and から work — what's the nuance difference?
Show answer
- 彼女に別れを告げられた → I was told we were breaking up by my girlfriend. (Neutral description)
- 彼女から別れを告げられた → My girlfriend took the initiative to tell me we were breaking up. (Emphasizes she actively said it)
Both are correct. から emphasizes "it was she who brought it up."
Summary
- に → All-purpose, works for 90% of passive sentences
- から → Emphasizes initiative, common with verbs of communication/giving
- によって → Formal/written, for organizations/institutions/creators
- で → Natural phenomena, unconscious forces — marks cause rather than agent