Passive & Causative Lesson 5
This lesson explores the 'Causative-Passive' (使役受身) form, used to describe being forced or coerced into doing something against one's will.
Feeling the Pressure
Have you ever been told to do something you didn't want to do? Perhaps your boss made you work overtime, or your parents forced you to study piano when you were a child. In Japanese, there is a specific grammatical construction to express this feeling of being 'made to do' something.
The Causative-Passive Structure
The causative-passive is formed by taking the causative form of a verb and then conjugating it into the passive form.
Tip
Seeing it in Action
Here are examples of the causative-passive in natural sentences.
私は母に野菜を食べさせられた。
I was made to eat vegetables by my mother.
部長に無理やり残業させられた。
I was forced to work overtime by the manager.
先生に長い作文を【書かされた】。
Hint: Causative-passive of 書く (kaku)
I was made to write a long essay by the teacher.
Nuance and Register
The causative-passive is inherently negative. It implies a lack of agency and often resentment.
Causative vs Causative-Passive
食べさせる
To make someone eat (neutral/causative)
母は子供に野菜を食べさせる。
食べさせられる
To be made to eat (passive/forced)
私は母に野菜を食べさせられた。
Which sentence best expresses being forced to do something against your will?
- 友達に手伝わせた。
- ✓ 友達に手伝わされた。
手伝わされた (causative-passive) indicates you were forced to do it, whereas 手伝わせた (causative) just means you made them help.
Contracted Forms
In casual spoken Japanese, the causative-passive is often contracted to make it easier to pronounce.
Lesson Recap
The causative-passive form (させられる) is used to express that you were forced or coerced into an action. It is a powerful tool for describing situations where your own will was overridden by someone in a position of authority.