JLPT N4 Grammar – The Complete Guide to Passive, Causative, and Causative-Passive Form ③
Table of Contents
1. Passive, Causative, and Causative-Passive Form
2. How to Form the Causative-Passive Form
3. Meaning of the Causative-Passive Form
4. Let’s Compare
5. Summary
6. Quiz
7. Similer Articles
8. Comment
Q: I can never fully understand the passive, causative, and causative-passive forms.
A: These forms are some of the most complicated grammar points for Japanese learners. Here, we’ll explain the causative-passive form in detail.
How to Form the Causative-Passive Form
The causative-passive form is a complex combination of the causative and passive forms. Let’s review how it’s made.
Group 1 Verbs: ない form + せられる／される *In modern usage, “される” is more common.
Group 2 Verbs: Verb stem + られる
| Dictionary Form | Passive Form | Causative Form | Causative-Passive Form |
| 読む (to read) | 読まれる | 読ませる | 読ませられる／読まさせられる |
| かく（書く・描く） (to write/draw) | かかれる | かかせる | かかせられる／かかさせられる |
| 泣く (to cry) | 泣かれる | 泣かせる | 泣かせられる／泣かさせられる |
| 食べる (to eat) | 食べられる | 食べさせる | 食べさせられる |
| いる (to be, to exist) | いられる | いさせる | いさせられる |
| する (to do) | される | させる | させられる |
| 来る (to come) | 来られる | 来させる | 来させられる |
If you’d like to learn more about
the passive form,
please read this article.
If you’d like to learn more about
the causative form,
please read this article.
Meaning of the Causative-Passive Form
The causative-passive form is used when the speaker is forced to accept an action or is compelled to act, usually against their will, following an order or instruction from someone else.
[Examples]
お酒が嫌いなのに、無理やり飲まされました。
Even though I don’t like alcohol, I was forced to drink.
母親に歯医者に行きたくないと言ったのに、行かされました。
Even though I told my mother I didn’t want to go to the dentist, I was made to go.
Additionally, this form is also used when the actions of another person bring about an unpleasant result for the speaker, even if it’s not a direct order or instruction.
[Examples]
子供のころは兄とけんかして、よく泣かされました。
When I was a child, I often fought with my older brother and ended up crying a lot.
⇒ The fact that the speaker cried a lot in those fights is an unpleasant memory for him.
友達が寝坊して、30分も待たされました。
My friend overslept, and I was kept waiting for 30 minutes.
⇒ This means that the speaker felt uncomfortable about having to wait for 30 minutes because their friend overslept.
Let’s Compare
Let’s compare the differences between the passive, causative, and causative-passive forms here.
Which of the illustrations (①–③) matches the following sentences (a–c)?
[Examples]
a.弟にパンを食べられました。
b.弟がパンを食べたいと言うので、食べさせました。
c.弟においしくないパンを食べさせられました。
The correct answers are a①, b③, and c②.
Let’s also confirm that a is in the passive form, b is in the causative form (permission), and c is in the causative-passive form.
a.弟にパンを食べられました。
My little brother ate my bread.
b.弟がパンを食べたいと言うので、食べさせました。
My little brother said he wanted to eat the bread, so I let him eat it.
c.弟においしくないパンを食べさせられました。
I was made to eat bread that didn’t taste good by my little brother.
Now, let’s think about which expression is appropriate in the following examples.
[Examples]
①寝てばかりいたら、母親に家のことを（手伝われました・手伝わせました・手伝わされました）。
②子供が寝てばかりいるので、家のことを（手伝われました・手伝わせました・手伝わされました）。
The correct answers are ① “手伝わされました” (causative-passive form) and ② “手伝わせました” (causative form: coercion).
①寝てばかりいたら、母親に家のことを手伝わされました。
Because I was just sleeping, my mother made me help with the housework.
②子供が寝てばかりいるので、家のことを手伝わせました。
Because my child was just sleeping, I made them help with the housework.
In ①, it shows that the speaker (the child) was forced to act by the mother and felt uncomfortable. In ②, the mother (the speaker) gave a coercive instruction to the child.
Summary
The causative-passive form has two meanings:
- ① When the speaker is forced to accept or act on something, following the orders or instructions of another person, even if they are reluctant.
- ② When the speaker feels psychological discomfort due to the actions of another person, not limited to orders or instructions.
Quiz
Read the following sentence and choose the expression that fits the context from the options provided in the parentheses.
Click on the question to check the answer.
A. 練習させられました
わたしが学生のとき、学校で何度も敬語を練習させられました。
When I was a student, I was made to practice honorific language at school many times.
*Because the speaker was acting under someone else’s instructions, “練習させられました” (causative-passive form) is correct.
A. 待たせて
待たせてごめんね。
Sorry for making you wait.
*Because the speaker’s action caused the other person to wait, and they’re apologizing out of a sense of responsibility, “待たせて” (passive form: responsibility) is correct.
A. 走らされました
先生に運動場を走らされました。
The teacher made me run in the schoolyard.
*Because the speaker was made to act by the teacher’s instruction, “走らされた” (causative-passive form) is correct.
A. 枯らせてしまいました
花に水をやり忘れて、枯らせてしまいました。
I forgot to water the flowers and ended up letting them wither.
*Because the flowers withered as a result of being left unattended, “枯らせてしまった” (causative: neglect) is correct.
Similer Articles
- JLPT N4 Vocabulary – “あく” or “すく”? The Meanings and Usage Differences of “空く”
- JLPT N3・N4 Grammar – Difference between “〜べきだ” “〜はずだ” and “〜にちがいない”
- JLPT N4 Grammar – The Complete Guide to Passive, Causative, and Causative-Passive Form ③
- JLPT N4 Grammar – The Complete Guide to Passive, Causative, and Causative-Passive Form ②
- JLPT N4 Grammar – The Complete Guide to Passive, Causative, and Causative-Passive Form①
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