～される
passive or honorific suru
される is the passive form of する, attached directly to action nouns. It has two distinct jobs: a true passive, “is done”, and a respectful (sonkeigo) way to describe the action of someone you look up to.
The form is identical in both uses, the subject and context tell you which reading is intended.
1. Passive: something is done
When the subject is the thing receiving the action, ～される works like the English passive voice.
試験の結果は明日発表される。
“The exam results will be announced tomorrow.”
- 試験（しけん）= exam
- の = linking particle (of)
- 結果（けっか）= results
- は = topic marker
- 明日（あした）= tomorrow
- 発表される（はっぴょうされる）= will be announced
2. Respectful: an esteemed person does something
When the subject is a person deserving respect (a teacher, a customer, a superior) the same form is honorific. Nothing is “done to” the subject, they are simply performing the action, and the passive form adds politeness.
先生が研究される。
“The teacher does research.” (respectful)
- 先生（せんせい）= teacher
- が = subject marker
- 研究される（けんきゅうされる）= does research (respectful)
Respectful ～される raises the other person’s action. It's the mirror image of ～いたす, which humbly lowers your own.
How to form it
Action noun + される (passive form of する)
- 発表する（はっぴょうする）= to announce → 発表される（はっぴょうされる）= is announced
- 招待する（しょうたいする）= to invite → 招待される（しょうたいされる）= is invited
- 研究する（けんきゅうする）= to research → 研究される（けんきゅうされる）= does research (respectful)
Key idea
One form, two jobs: される is passive when something is done to the subject, and respectful when a person above you is the one doing it. Ask “who is the subject?” and the meaning falls out.
Other N3 grammar
Updated .