Japanese with Manga

Receiving a laughing with 〜れる

Grammar Explanation: Receptive verbs with 〜れる

Manga panel from ご注文はうさぎですか？ showing example of Receiving a laughing with 〜れる.
ご注文はうさぎですか？ » Volume 1 » Page 20

Rize finds Cocoa’s very first latte art to be irresistibly cute.

ココア:
「笑(わら)われてる！？」
“I'm being laughed at!?”
Literal: “I'm receiving laughter!?”

Key Points

1笑(わら)われてる means being laughed at
  • English needs “at” for the target of laughter, while Japanese expresses Cocoa’s role with the receptive verb.
2笑(わら)う becomes 笑(わら)われる
  • The godan ending changes to 笑(わら)わ before れる. 笑(わら)われてる contracts 笑(わら)われている.
3The rising question shows Cocoa’s surprise
  • Cocoa omits both “I” and the person laughing. The context supplies her as the recipient and Rize as the performer.
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