ConjugationIntermediate7 min read
Japanese Causative-Passive (使役受身形): 'Was Made To'
使役受身形
Master the causative-passive form (使役受身形) to express being made to do something. A key intermediate grammar pattern.
The causative-passive form (使役受身形 - shieki ukemi-kei) expresses being made or forced to do something by someone else. It combines causative ("make someone do") with passive ("was done to me").
How to Form Causative-Passive(使役受身形の作り方)
There are two ways to form it:
| Verb Type | Long Form | Short Form (Godan only) |
|---|---|---|
| Godan (書く) | 書かせられる | 書かされる |
| Ichidan (食べる) | 食べさせられる | — |
| する | させられる | — |
| くる | こさせられる | — |
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The short form (〜される) only works for godan verbs and is very common in casual speech.
Meaning and Usage(意味と使い方)
Expresses that someone was made/forced to do something, often with a sense of inconvenience:
子供の頃、毎日野菜を食べさせられた。
こどものころ、まいにちやさいをたべさせられた。
kodomo no koro, mainichi yasai wo tabesaserareta.
When I was a child, I was made to eat vegetables every day.
Short Form Details(短縮形)
For godan verbs, the short form is very common:
1時間も待たされた。
いちじかんもまたされた。
ichijikan mo matasareta.
I was made to wait for a whole hour.
| Dictionary | Long Form | Short Form |
|---|---|---|
| 待つ | 待たせられる | 待たされる |
| 読む | 読ませられる | 読まされる |
| 行く | 行かせられる | 行かされる |
✓Summary
Causative-passive:
- Expresses being made to do something
- Godan: short form 〜される common
- Often implies inconvenience or reluctance