Passive Causative Actions in Japanese || Japanese Grammar

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Home A2 Passive causative actions in Japanese

PASSIVE CAUSATIVE IN JAPANESE

When you want to say that you are forced to do the action, or allowed to do the action by someone else, what kind of grammar rule do you have to use?

You have to create a passive causative sentence. It is a combination of the passive and the causative.

THE PASSIVE CAUSATIVE FORM

To say that you are forced to do something, you need to use the expression させられる. This is called the passive-causative form.

In Japanese, we call it 使役受け身形 (shieki ukemi kei). It is a combination of the Japanese causative form させる with the passive form.

We can create this form by conjugating the verb. To conjugate a verb into the passive-causative form, you have to pay careful attention to which verb group this particular verb belongs to. Because conjugation rule changes depend on its specific group.

➡️ U-verbs … Change the final “u” sound of the verb to “a” sound and attach せられる.

➡️ Ru-verbs … Remove the final “ru” and attach させられる.

➡️ Irregular verbs … These 2 verbs in this group are exceptions. So, just need to memorize the specific conjugation rules. See the following table.

		Dictionary form	Passive causative form
U-verb	To read	読む	読ませられる
	To listen	聞く	聞かせられる
	To buy	買う	買わせられる
Ru-Verb	To eat	食べる	食べさせられる
	To answer	答える	答えさせられる
	To believe	信じる	信じさせられる
Irregular Verb	To do	する	させられる
Irregular Verb	To come	来る	来させられる

PASSIVE CAUSATIVE FORM

Here are some examples of the passive causative form being used in Japanese sentences.

These examples will give you a better understanding of how the passive causative form verbs are used in daily conversation.

教室の後ろのほうに立たせられました。	Kyoushitsu no ushiro no hou ni tataserare mashita.	I was forced to stand at the back side of the classroom.
仕事を辞めさせられました。	Shigoto wo yamesaserare mashita.	I was forced to leave my job.
友達に3時間待たせられました。	Tomodachi ni 3 jikan mataserare mashita.	I was kept waiting for 3 hours by my friend.

View More Examples

母に嫌いな野菜を無理やり食べさせられました。	Haha ni kirai na yasai wo muriyari tabesaserare mashita.	I was forced by my mom to eat vegetables that I didn’t like.
夏休みなので家業を手伝わせられました。	Natsuyasumi nanode kagyou wo tetsudawaserare mashita.	Since it was summer vacation, I was forced to help with the family business.
この本の内容は考えさせられるものでした。	Kono hon no naiyou wa kangaesaserareru mono deshita.	The contents of this book really made me think.
みんなの前で歌わせられました。	Minna no mae de utawaserare mashita.	I was forced to sing in front of everyone.
友だちの日記を読ませられました。	Tomodachi no nikki wo yomaserare mashita.	I was forced to read the diary of my friend.

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FAQs

What is the difference between passive and causative forms in Japanese?

The passive form indicates that the subject is acted upon, while the causative form indicates that the subject causes or allows someone to do something.

The passive causative combines these to indicate being made to do something by someone else.

When should I use the passive causative form?

Use the passive causative form when you want to express that someone was forced or compelled to perform an action, often against their will or under obligation.

How do I conjugate verbs into the passive causative form?

Conjugation involves combining elements of the passive and causative forms.

For example, in the case of a Group 1 verb like 書く, it becomes 書かせられる.

For Group 2 verbs, like 食べる, it becomes 食べさせられる. Irregular verbs like する and 来る have unique forms: させられる and 来させられる.

Does the passive causative form always imply a negative connotation?

While often used to express an undesirable situation, it can also describe neutral or even positive scenarios depending on context. However, the nuance of compulsion is typically present.

Are there common alternatives to the passive causative form in Japanese?

In spoken Japanese, people might simplify or avoid the passive causative by rephrasing sentences or using more straightforward expressions, especially in casual contexts.

For example, instead of the passive causative, a direct causative form might be used with additional context.

Can I study Japanese in Japan with LTL?

Absolutely! We offer group and individual classes in Tokyo.

If you’d prefer to learn Japanese from the comfort of your home, you should have a look at our online lessons on Flexi Classes (we even have a 7 day free trial!)