passive N4 common casualpolitewritten
見られる — can see / be seen (potential-passive of 見る)
見られる ・ みられる
Meaning
- can see / get to watch ~ (potential); or be seen / be watched (passive)
Key sentence
この映画は無料で見られる。
You can watch this movie for free.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 見る (potential / passive) | 見 + られる | 見る → 見られる |
Examples
そのお祭りは今しか見られない。
You can only see that festival now (and no other time).
人に見られないように、こっそり練習した。
I practiced in secret so I wouldn't be seen by anyone.
ここからは美しい夜景が見られる。
From here you can take in a beautiful night view.
When you can't use it
- The 'can see' reading needs an opportunity or condition, not just open eyes — 見られる answers 'do I get the chance to watch this?'. For something simply in view (the sea, a mountain), use 見える instead.
Easily confused with
見える 見える = naturally in sight, nothing required (山が見える — the mountain is visible). 見られる = you get the chance/ability to look at something on purpose (試合が見られる — I can watch the match). 〜られる (potential) 見られる is just 見る in the potential られる form. Same shape also reads as the plain passive ('be seen'), as in 人に見られる — context decides.
Notes
- Casual ら抜き speech says 見れる for the potential 'can watch', which conveniently disambiguates it from the passive 見られる ('be seen').
See 見られる in real sentences
Jengo shows 見られる the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled with reference to A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar.