Why is できました translated as ‘was created’ even though it isn’t the passive form?
Why is “できました” translated as “was created” even though it isn’t passive?
I came across an NHK article about robots that used this Japanese phrase, 小さいAIロボットができました, which naturally translates as “a small AI robot was created.” But できる doesn’t mean “to create,” so it made me wonder why it’s translated in the passive when it isn’t passive in Japanese.
1. The verb 「できる」 and its meaning
The verb できる literally means “to come about,” “to be possible,” or “to be realized.” Here, できました indicates that the robot now exists and the result has been achieved. The verb emphasizes existence or completion rather than the act of creating.
2. Why not say 「作る」
One might think of 作る (つくる, to make/create), but this verb emphasizes the act of making. 小さいAIロボットを作りました would mean “I made a small AI robot,” which highlights the action and the person who did it. できました is more neutral: the robot exists, regardless of who made it or how.
3. The question of the passive
In English, it’s often translated as “was created” to sound natural, but in Japanese, できる doesn’t have a logical passive. You can’t say できられました; it doesn’t exist and doesn’t make sense. できました simply expresses that the robot exists now, that the result has been achieved.
4. Summary of nuances
- 作る → to actively create/make something, emphasizes the action.
- できる → to come about, to now exist, emphasizes the result.
- English translation “was created” → used to convey the natural sense, even though it isn’t a Japanese passive.
In short, できました is translated as “was created” in English to express the achieved result—that something now exists, without implying a passive form in Japanese.
