What is Causative-Passive?
Causative-passive (使役受身) expresses being made to do something. It combines causative (make do) with passive (be done to).
食べさせられる (tabesaserareru) - be made to eat
書かせられる (kakaserareru) - be made to write
させられる (saserareru) - be made to do
The Suffering Form
Causative-passive emphasizes being forced to do something against your will:
宿題をさせられた
"I was made to do homework" (I didn't want to)
待たせられた
"I was made to wait" (I suffered)
Conjugation Rules
Method: Causative + Passive
Step 1: Make causative form
Step 2: Apply passive conjugation
Ichidan Verbs
食べる → 食べさせる → 食べさせられる
見る → 見させる → 見させられる
寝る → 寝させる → 寝させられる
Pattern: -ru → -saserareru
Godan Verbs (Long Form)
書く → 書かせる → 書かせられる
読む → 読ませる → 読ませられる
話す → 話させる → 話させられる
Pattern: -u → -aserareru
Godan Verbs (Short Form)
More common in speech:
書く → 書かされる (kakasareru)
読む → 読まされる (yomasareru)
話す → 話さされる (hanasasareru)
買う → 買わされる (kawasareru)
Pattern: -u → -asareru (shorter!)
Irregular Verbs
する → させられる (be made to do)
来る → 来させられる / 来さされる (be made to come)
Complete Conjugation Chart
| Dictionary | Causative | Causative-Passive (Long) | Short Form |
|---|---|---|---|
| 書く | 書かせる | 書かせられる | 書かされる ✓ |
| 読む | 読ませる | 読ませられる | 読まされる ✓ |
| 話す | 話させる | 話させられる | 話さされる ✓ |
| 食べる | 食べさせる | 食べさせられる | (no short) |
| 見る | 見させる | 見させられる | (no short) |
| する | させる | させられる | (no short) |
Important: Short form only for Godan verbs!
When to Use
1. Forced to Do Something
残業させられた
"I was made to work overtime"
宿題をさせられた
"I was made to do homework"
謝らせられた
"I was made to apologize"
2. Against Your Will
嫌いな食べ物を食べさせられた
"I was made to eat food I hate"
行きたくないパーティーに行かせられた
"I was made to go to a party I didn't want to go to"
3. Suffering/Complaint
3時間も待たせられた
"I was made to wait for 3 whole hours!"
毎日掃除させられる
"I'm made to clean every day"
Particle Usage
Person forced is marked by は/が:
私は母に部屋を掃除させられた
"I was made by my mother to clean my room"
学生は先生に本を読ませられた
"Students were made by the teacher to read books"
Person forcing is marked by に:
上司に残業させられた
"I was made to work overtime by my boss"
親に勉強させられた
"I was made to study by my parents"
Common Expressions
School/Work
宿題をさせられる
"be made to do homework"
レポートを書かされる
"be made to write a report"
残業させられる
"be made to work overtime"
発表させられる
"be made to present"
掃除させられる
"be made to clean"
Childhood
野菜を食べさせられた
"I was made to eat vegetables"
ピアノを習わされた
"I was made to learn piano"
早く寝かせられた
"I was made to sleep early"
Waiting
待たされる / 待たせられる
"be made to wait"
Example:
2時間も待たされた
"I was made to wait for 2 hours!"
Polite Forms
食べさせられる → 食べさせられます (polite)
書かされる → 書かされます (polite)
させられる → させられます (polite)
Negative
食べさせられない (not made to eat)
書かされない (not made to write)
させられない (not made to do)
Past
食べさせられた (was made to eat)
書かされた (was made to write)
させられた (was made to do)
Long vs Short Form
| Long Form | Short Form | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| 書かせられる | 書かされる ✓ | Short more common |
| 読ませられる | 読まされる ✓ | Short more common |
| 待たせられる | 待たされる ✓ | Both common |
| 食べさせられる | — | Ichidan: long only |
Short form preferred in conversation!
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Using Short Form with Ichidan
Wrong: 食べさされる ❌
Right: 食べさせられる ✓
Wrong: 見さされる ❌
Right: 見させられる ✓
Mistake 2: Wrong Particle
Wrong: 母を掃除させられた ❌
Right: 母に掃除させられた ✓
"I was made by mother to clean"
Mistake 3: Confusing with Simple Passive
食べられる - "be eaten" (passive)
食べさせられる - "be made to eat" (causative-passive)
叱られる - "be scolded" (passive)
叱らされる - "be made to scold" (causative-passive)
Mistake 4: Unnecessary Causative-Passive
Unnatural: 行かされた
Better: 行った / 行かなければならなかった
"I went / I had to go"
Use only when emphasizing being forced!
Conversation Examples
Example 1: Complaining About Work
A: 最近仕事どう？
"How's work lately?"
B: 大変。毎日残業させられてる
"Tough. I'm made to work overtime every day"
A: それはきついね
"That's rough"
B: 本当に。早く帰りたい
"Really. I want to go home early"
Example 2: Childhood Memories
A: 子供の時、何させられた？
"What were you made to do as a child?"
B: ピアノを習わされた
"I was made to learn piano"
A: 好きだった？
"Did you like it?"
B: 全然。嫌いだった
"Not at all. I hated it"
Example 3: School Life
A: 昨日なんで遅かったの？
"Why were you late yesterday?"
B: 先生に掃除させられた
"I was made to clean by the teacher"
A: 何で？
"Why?"
B: 宿題を忘れたから
"Because I forgot my homework"
Emphasis on Suffering
Causative-passive often implies complaint:
3時間も待たされた！
"I was made to wait for 3 whole hours!"
毎日同じことをさせられる
"I'm made to do the same thing every day"
嫌なことばかりやらされる
"I'm only made to do things I hate"
With も (emphasis)
5回も書き直しさせられた
"I was made to rewrite it 5 times!"
10ページも読まされた
"I was made to read 10 whole pages!"
Causative-Passive in Context
Workplace
上司に無理なスケジュールをやらされる
"I'm made to do an unreasonable schedule by my boss"
休日出勤させられた
"I was made to come to work on a holiday"
School
先生に作文を書かされた
"I was made to write an essay by the teacher"
みんなの前で発表させられた
"I was made to present in front of everyone"
Home
親に部屋を掃除させられる
"I'm made to clean my room by my parents"
弟の世話をさせられる
"I'm made to take care of my little brother"
Key Takeaways
✓ Causative-passive = being made to do
✓ Godan short: -u → -asareru (common)
✓ Godan long: -u → -aserareru
✓ Ichidan: -ru → -saserareru (no short)
✓ Emphasizes being forced
✓ Often implies complaint/suffering
✓ Person forced uses は/が
✓ Person forcing uses に
✓ Short form preferred in speech
Master causative-passive - express being forced naturally!
Next: Ba-conditional
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