JLPT N4 Grammar – The Complete Guide to Passive, Causative, and Causative-Passive Form ② 

Table of Contents

1. Passive, Causative, and Causative-Passive Form
2. Types of Causative Forms
3. ① Coercion / Encouragement
4. ② Inducement
5. ③ Permission / Benefit
6. ④ Responsibility
7. ⑤ Neglect
8. ⑥ Transitive Conversion of Intransitive Verbs
9. Summary
10. Similer Articles
11. Comment

Q: I can never seem to fully understand the passive, causative, and causative-passive forms.

A: The passive, causative, and causative-passive forms are some of the more complex grammatical patterns for Japanese learners. Here, we’ll explain the various meanings and uses of the causative form.

Types of Causative Forms

Let’s start by taking a look at the overall picture of how each type is used.

Type	Usage	Example Sentences
① Coercion / Encouragement	Used when someone in a superior position forces or encourages someone in a lower position to do something	先生せんせいは生徒せいとに教室きょうしつをそうじさせました。(Coercion) The teacher made the students clean the classroom. とてもいい本ほんなので、子供こどもにも読よませました。(Encouragement) Since it’s a great book, I had the kids read it too.
② Inducement	Indicates that something caused a psychological change or emotional reaction	友達ともだちにおもしろい話はなしをして、笑わらせるのが好すきです。 I love making my friends laugh by telling them interesting stories. 悪わるいことをして両親りょうしんを悲かなしませてしまいました。 I did something bad and ended up making my parents sad.
③ Permission / Benefit	Used when someone gives permission for what another person wants to do, or to show gratitude for having been allowed to do something	子供こどもがもう少すこし遊あそびたいというので、遊あそばせました。(Permission) My child wanted to play a little longer, so I let them play. いろいろ勉強べんきょうさせていただき、ありがとうございました。(Benefit) Thank you for letting me study so many things.
④ Responsibility	Expresses that due to one’s own fault, someone else had to act, causing a feeling of responsibility	わざわざ遠とおくまで来きさせてごめんね。 Sorry for making you come all the way here. 締め切し　きりに間に合ま　あわせなくて、部下ぶかにも手伝てつだわせてしまいました。 I didn’t make the deadline and ended up making my subordinates help me.
⑤ Neglect	Indicates that leaving something unattended results in a certain state	水みずを凍こおらせました。 I froze the water. 冷蔵れいぞう庫こに何なんか月げつも野菜やさいを置おいたままにして、腐くさらせてしまいました。 I left the vegetables in the refrigerator for months and ended up letting them rot.
⑥ Transitive Conversion of Intransitive Verbs	Used when focusing on the entity that brings about a certain state, turning an intransitive verb into a transitive one using the causative form	この雲くもは、広ひろい範囲はんいで大雨おおあめを降ふらせる可能かのう性せいがあります。 This cloud has the potential to cause heavy rain over a wide area. 夢ゆめを実現じつげんさせるためにがんばっています。 I’m working hard to make my dream come true.

① Coercion / Encouragement

Used when a person in a superior position forces or encourages someone in a lower position to do something. In cases of coercion, it expresses that the action is imposed even if the other person finds it undesirable. However, it cannot be used for actions from a lower to a higher position.

[Examples]
子供こどもの部屋へやが物ものだらけなので、いらないものを捨すてさせました。（Coercion）
Because my child’s room was full of things, I made them throw away what they didn’t need.

家いえでゲームばかりしている子供こどもを外そとに行いかせました。（Coercion）
I made my child, who was always playing games at home, go outside.

先生せんせいはいい日本にほん語ごの本ほんを勧すすめて、生徒せいとにも買かわせました。（Encouragement）
The teacher recommended a good Japanese book and made the students buy it, too.

このソフトは仕事しごとに便利べんりなので、社員しゃいんにも使つかわせています。（Encouragement）
This software is useful for work, so I make my employees use it, too.

② Inducement

Used with verbs that involve emotions, to express that something directly causes a psychological change or emotional reaction.

[Commonly used verbs]
泣なく(cry)・驚おどろく (be surprised)・喜よろこぶ (be happy)・悲かなしむ (be sad)・安心あんしんする (feel relieved)・怒おこる(get angry) etc.

[Examples]
サンタは子供こどもにプレゼントをあげて、喜よろこばせます。
Santa gave presents to the children and made them happy.

後うしろから友達ともだちに声こえをかけたら、思おもった以上いじょうに驚おどろかせてしまいました。
I called out to my friend from behind, and ended up surprising them more than I expected.

冗談じょうだんのつもりで言いったことが、友達ともだちを怒おこらせてしまいました。
What I said as a joke ended up making my friend angry.

③ Permission / Benefit

Used when a third party allows someone to do what they want. It’s also used to express gratitude for being given permission to do something. It carries a nuance of letting the other person fulfill their wish and showing kindness by granting permission.

[Commonly used verbs]
遊あそぶ (play)・休やすむ (rest)・話はなす (talk)・使つかう (use)・学まなぶ (learn) etc.

[Examples]
娘むすめの具合ぐあいが悪わるそうなので、休やすませした。（Permission）
My daughter didn’t seem to be feeling well, so I let her rest.

先生せんせいにお願ねがいして、部屋へやを使つかわせてもらいました。（Permission・Benefit）
I asked the teacher and was allowed to use the room.

ためになることを学まなばせていただき、ありがとうございました。（Benefit）
Thank you very much for letting me learn so many useful things.

④ Responsibility

Expresses a situation where, due to one’s own fault, someone else ends up having to do something, conveying a feeling of responsibility. Because it also includes a sense of apology toward the other person, it’s often used in the form “させてしまう” (“end up making someone do something”).

[Examples]
仕事しごとが終おわらなくて、鈴木すずきさんにも残業ざんぎょうさせてしまってごめんね。
I couldn’t finish my work and ended up making Suzuki-san work overtime too. I’m sorry.

財布さいふを忘わすれて、先輩せんぱいにお金かねを払はらわせてしまいました。
I forgot my wallet and ended up making my senior pay for me.

ずいぶん待またせてしまって、すみません。
I’m sorry for making you wait so long.

⑤ Neglect

Indicates that leaving something unattended leads to a certain state. Especially when that state results in an undesirable outcome, it’s often used in the form “させてしまう” (“end up letting something happen”).

[Commonly used verbs]
くさる (rot)・（カビが）生はえる (mold) grow)・凍こおる (freeze)・固かたまる (harden)・死しぬ (die) etc.

[Examples]
氷点ひょうてん下かの場所ばしょに置おいて水みずを凍こおらせると氷こおりになります。
If you leave water in a freezing place, it will turn into ice.

何なんか月げつもパンを置おいたままにして、くさらせてしまいました。
I left the bread there for months and ended up letting it rot.

何なん日にちも金魚きんぎょにえさをやるのを忘わすれて、死しなせてしまいました。
I forgot to feed the goldfish for several days and ended up letting it die.

⑥ Transitive Conversion of Intransitive Verbs

In Japanese, there are pairs of transitive and intransitive verbs, such as “わたしはドアを開あける (I open the door)” (transitive) and “ドアが開ひらく (the door opens)” (intransitive). However, verbs like “ 咲さく (bloom)” and “降ふる (fall (as in rain))” don’t have such pairs.
When you want to focus on the entity that causes a state, you can use the causative form of an intransitive verb as if it were transitive.

[Common intransitive verbs used in this way]
咲さく (bloom)・降ふる (fall (as in rain))・輝かがやく (shine)・向上こうじょうする (improve)・発展はってんする (develop)・進歩しんぽする (progress)・完成かんせいする (complete)・実現じつげんする (realize) etc.

[Examples]
きれいな花はなが咲さきました。(Intransitive verb)
A beautiful flower bloomed.
⇒ Generally, the subject uses the “が” particle and does not require an object.

そのつぼみは、きれいな花はなを咲さかせます。
That bud will make a beautiful flower bloom.
⇒ Since “the bud” is the entity that causes “the beautiful flower” to bloom, the focus is on the bud.

In this case, the sentence takes the same basic structure as a transitive verb sentence ([subject] は [object] を + transitive verb), so the focus is shown with “は,” and the resulting state is marked with “を,” using the causative form.

[Examples]
この国くには発展はってんします。(Intransitive verb)
This country develops.

わたしたちはこの国くにを発展はってんさせます。(Transitive verb)
We will develop this country.

このビルは来年らいねん完成かんせいします。(Intransitive verb)
This building will be completed next year.

わたしたちはこのビルを来年らいねん完成かんせいさせます。(Transitive verb)
We will complete this building next year.

Summary

Six Main Uses of the Causative Form

• ① Coercion
  Used when a person in a superior position forces or encourages someone in a lower position to do something.
  In the case of coercion, it expresses that the action is imposed even if the other person finds it undesirable.
• ② Inducement
  Used with verbs that involve emotions, to express that something directly causes a psychological change or emotional reaction.
• ③ Permission / Benefit
  Used to grant permission for what the other person wants to do, or to express gratitude for being given permission.
  It carries a nuance of letting the other person fulfill their wish and shows the kindness of granting permission.
• ④ Responsibility
  Expresses a situation where, due to one’s own fault, someone else ends up having to do something, conveying a feeling of responsibility.
  Because it also includes a sense of apology toward the other person, it’s often used in the form “させてしまう” (“end up making someone do something”).
• ⑤ Neglect
  Indicates that leaving something unattended leads to a certain state.
  When the result is undesirable, it’s often used in the form “させてしまう” (“end up letting something happen”).
• ⑥ Transitive Conversion of Intransitive Verbs
  Used when an intransitive verb (that doesn’t have a transitive pair) is turned into a causative form to focus on the entity that causes the state, treating it like a transitive verb.

Similer Articles

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