Causative-Passive Form of verbs in Japanese | My Language Classes

Causative-Passive Form in Japanese

The causative-passive form (使役受身, shieki ukemi) in Japanese is an important grammatical structure that conveys a sense of being forced or made to do something against one’s will. This form is frequently used in formal speech, written language, and storytelling.

Formation of Causative-Passive Verbs

To form the causative-passive form, we first conjugate the verb into its causative form and then change it into its passive form.

Group 1 (Ichidan) Verbs

Convert the verb to its causative form:
- Drop る and add させる (for positive causative)
Convert the causative form to its passive form:
- Drop る and add られる

Example:

食べる (たべる, taberu) → 食べさせる (たべさせる, tabesaseru) → 食べさせられる (たべさせられる, tabesaserareru)

Group 2 (Godan) Verbs

Convert the verb to its causative form:
- Change the u sound to a and add せる
Convert the causative form to its passive form:
- Change せる to せられる or される

Example:

書く (かく, kaku) → 書かせる (かかせる, kakaseru) → 書かせられる (かかせられる, kakaserareru)

Group 3 (Irregular) Verbs

する → させる → させられる
くる → こさせる → こさせられる

Usage of the Causative-Passive Form

The causative-passive form is primarily used in the following situations:

Expressing Forced Action
- “I was made to do something.”
Indicating an Unwanted Situation
- “I ended up in an unfavorable situation.”
In Formal Writing & Passive Expressions
- Commonly used in news articles, literature, and business settings.
Indirect Authority or Control
- Used when talking about school, work, or hierarchical relationships.
Apologizing or Explaining a Difficult Situation
- “I was put in a tough spot.”

List of Causative-Passive Verbs with Examples

Verb	Causative-Passive Form	Example Sentence 1	Romaji	English Meaning	Example Sentence 2	Romaji	English Meaning
書く (kaku)	書かせられる (kakaserareru)	先生に作文を書かせられた。	Sensei ni sakubun o kakaserareta.	I was forced to write an essay by the teacher.	上司にレポートを書かせられた。	Joushi ni repooto o kakaserareta.	I was made to write a report by my boss.
食べる (taberu)	食べさせられる (tabesaserareru)	嫌いな野菜を食べさせられた。	Kirai na yasai o tabesaserareta.	I was made to eat vegetables I dislike.	子供のころ、嫌いな魚を食べさせられた。	Kodomo no koro, kirai na sakana o tabesaserareta.	When I was a child, I was made to eat fish I disliked.
話す (hanasu)	話させられる (hanasaserareru)	上司に長いスピーチを話させられた。	Joushi ni nagai supiichi o hanasaserareta.	I was made to give a long speech by my boss.	友達に嘘を話させられた。	Tomodachi ni uso o hanasaserareta.	I was forced to tell a lie by my friend.
読む (yomu)	読まさせられる (yomasaserareru)	先生に長い本を読まさせられた。	Sensei ni nagai hon o yomasaserareta.	I was forced to read a long book by the teacher.	上司に新聞を読まさせられた。	Joushi ni shinbun o yomasaserareta.	I was made to read the newspaper by my boss.
行く (iku)	行かさせられる (ikasaserareru)	先生に学校に行かさせられた。	Sensei ni gakkou ni ikasaserareta.	I was made to go to school by the teacher.	父に病院に行かさせられた。	Chichi ni byouin ni ikasaserareta.	I was forced to go to the hospital by my father.

More Example Sentences

先生に漢字を100回書かせられた。
Sensei ni kanji o hyakkai kakaserareta.
I was forced to write kanji 100 times by the teacher.
母に部屋を掃除させられた。
Haha ni heya o souji saserareta.
I was made to clean my room by my mother.
部長に遅くまで働かさせられた。 Buchou ni osoku made hatarakasaserareta. I was made to work late by my manager.
先生に難しい問題を解かさせられた。 Sensei ni muzukashii mondai o tokasaserareta. I was forced to solve a difficult problem by the teacher.
親に謝らさせられた。 Oya ni ayamarasaserareta. I was made to apologize by my parents.

Conclusion

The causative-passive form is a useful grammatical structure for expressing situations where someone is forced to act against their will. While it is more common in written and formal contexts, mastering this form will greatly enhance your Japanese comprehension and expression skills. Keep practicing with different verbs and real-life situations to fully grasp the nuances of this construction!

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