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I saw [this
answer](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/14257/difference-between-
intransitive-and-passive) for how the nuance changes between the use of
passive and intransitive verbs when the verb is negative. I was wondering what
the difference is with a positive verb. Here's an example:

> 財布がみつかった。
>
> 財布がみつけられた。

Both of which, I hope, mean "the wallet was found". Is there a difference, or
would you just not bother with the passive if an equivalent intransitive verb
exists?

Response to duplicate suggestion: I have looked at [Passive-transitive-verb
vs. Intransitive-verb （他動詞の受け身 vs.
自動詞)](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/329/passive-transitive-
verb-vs-intransitive-
verb-%E4%BB%96%E5%8B%95%E8%A9%9E%E3%81%AE%E5%8F%97%E3%81%91%E8%BA%AB-
vs-%E8%87%AA%E5%8B%95%E8%A9%9E) but found the answer difficult to follow. In
particular I thought example 3 was supposed to be with an intransitive verb
but it still seems to be taking an object.

Thanks
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question
nuances passive-voice
Difference between passive and intransitive for positive verbs
Whether you use intransitive or passive depends mostly on what you want to
imply. Passive is used when there's clearly an active agent causing the action
(even if the agent isn't explicitly stated). Intransitive doesn't carry that
information.

>   * ドアが閉まる - The door closes.
>   * (彼に)ドアが閉められる - The door is closed (by him).
>

The first example only means that the door closes. Without context, we have no
information on _how_ it closes. It could have closed on its own.

In the second example, though, there's clearly someone else closing the door
even if you choose not to include 彼に. (However, adding 彼に makes it sound just
as awkward as its English translation in this case.)

Now, some verbs really just go one way or the other, and your example verb
happens to fit into that category. 財布が見つかった is clearly the better choice, just
because that's the way it is.
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