Causative-Passive in Japanese: V-される／させられる and “(Forcee) は (Forcer) に V-される／させられる”

Introduction

When you want to say you were made/forced to do something—like “I was made to study by my parents”—Japanese uses the causative-passive. You’ll meet two pieces:

• The verb form: V-される／V-させられる
• The sentence frame: (Forcee) は (Forcer) に V-される／させられる

This unit focuses on meaning (“be made to ~”), how to build the forms, and how to plug them into real sentences.

1. Meaning & Core Idea

Causative-passive expresses “be made to do ~ (by someone), often with an unwanted/negative feeling.”

母ははに勉強べんきょうさせられました。
I was made to study by my mother [though I didn’t want to].

Use causative-passive when you want to emphasize the person who suffers/was forced (the “forcee”).

2. How to Form It (verb building)

We combine the two verb conjugations we learned before:

• Causative form: Used to express the idea of making someone do something or allowing someone to do something.
• Passive form: Used to express the idea of being affected by an action performed by someone else.

2.1 Ru-verbs

Drop -ru and add -sase-rare-ru.

2.2 U-verbs

U-verbs that end with:す

Drop -u and add -ase-rare-ru.

All the other u-verbs

Drop -u and add -asare-ru.
*For verbs ending in う, add wasare-ru.

2.3 Irregular

3. Relationship between causative and causative-passive

Let’s review the relationship between the normal verb, causative verb (make…do) and causative-passive (be made to do…):

• 勉強する (benkyou suru) — “I study.”
• 勉強させる (benkyou saseru) — “I make (him) study.”
• 勉強させられる (benkyou saserareru) — “I’m made to study.”

4. The Sentence Frame (who does what)

• Structure: (Forcee) は (Forcer) に [Object を] V-される/させられる
• Meaning: (Forcee) is made to do …. by (Forcer)

Example:

• 私わたしは祖父そふに勉強べんきょうさせられました。 = I was made to study by my grandfather.
• 私わたしは先生せんせいに宿題しゅくだいをさせられました。 = I was made to do my homework by the teacher.
• 私わたしは父ちちに野菜やさいを食たべさせられました。 = I was made to eat vegetables by my father.

Causative passive sentences emphasizes “I’m forced to do something” and you are experience negative feelings because of it.

Causative-passive form of the verb is used to make these sentences. The person who is forced comes with は, and the one who forces is marked by に.

Notice how the actors flip between causative and causative-passive:

• Causative: 先生せんせいは 私わたしに 漢字かんじを 書かかせました。 = The teacher had me write kanji.
• Causative-passive: 私は 先生に 漢字を 書かせられました。 = I was made to write kanji by the teacher.

5. Examples You’ll Actually Say

私わたしは母ははに勉強べんきょうさせられました。
I was made to study by my mother.

昨日きのうのデートで、私わたしは彼氏かれしに待またされました。
On our date yesterday, I was made to wait by my boyfriend.

彼女かのじょはショッピングが好すきです。僕ぼくはいつも荷物にもつを持もたされます。
My girlfriend loves shopping. I’m always made to carry her baggage.

* 僕 (boku) is a common way for men and boys to say “I” in Japanese. It sounds polite but casual, and is often used in everyday situations.

6. Practice

The verb form: V-される／V-させられる

Convert to causative-passive:

Ru-verbs

1. 食たべる (to eat) → 食べさせられる
2. 寝ねる (to sleep) → 寝させられる
3. 変かえる (to change) → 変えさせられる
4. 調しらべる (to research) → 調べさせられる

U-verbs

1. 話はなす (to speak) → 話させられる
2. 聞きく (to hear) → 聞かされる
3. 書かく (to write) → 書かされる
4. 泳およぐ (to swim) → 泳がされる
5. 歌うたう (to sing) → 歌わされる

Irregular

1. 来くる (to come) → 来させられる
2. あいさつする (to greet) → あいさつさせられる
3. 運動うんどうする (to exercise) → 運動させられる

The sentence frame: (Forcee) は (Forcer) に V-される／させられる

Turn each situation into a sentence with (Forcee) は (Forcer) に V-される／させられる:

1. まさしさん／あいさん／待まつ → まさしさんはあいさんに待たされました。
2. ひろとさん／彼女かのじょ／荷物にもつを持もつ → ひろとさんは彼女に荷物を持たされました。
3. なおさん／テストの結果けっか／がっかりする → なおさんはテストの結果にがっかりさせられました。
4. ゆなさん／お母かあさん／アイロンをかける → ゆなさんはお母さんにアイロンをかけさせられました。
5. まさとさん／エマさん／夕食ゆうしょくをおごる → まさとさんはエマさんに夕食をおごらされました。

7. FAQ

Conclusion

You can now:

• Build the causative-passive for ru/u/irregular verbs.
• Write clear sentences with (Forcee) は (Forcer) に V-される／させられる to mean “be made to do ~.”
• Avoid common role/particle mistakes and keep the “unwilling” nuance in mind.

Practice by writing three memories from childhood using this form—once you lock in the roles (は／に) and the verb shapes, the causative-passive will feel natural.