Introduction
Have you ever been made to do something you didn’t want to do? In Japanese, you can use causative-passive sentencesto express situations like this. These sentences show that someone was forced, harassed, or talked into doing something. Let’s break it down and learn how to use this grammar step by step!
What It Means
Causative-passive sentences are the passive version of causative sentences. They are used to describe situations where someone is made to do something against their will. In English, this often translates to phrases like “I was forced to…” or “I was made to…”
Example:
下手だから歌いたくなかったのに、歌を歌わされました。
(Hetadakara utaitakunakatta noni, uta o utawasararemashita.)
I didn’t want to sing because I’m not a good singer, but I was forced to sing.
きらいだから食べたくないんですが、いつも野菜を食べさせられます。
(Kirai dakara tabetakunain desu ga, itsumo yasai o tabesaseraremasu.)
I don’t want to eat vegetables because I don’t like them, but I am always made to eat them.
When to Use It
Use causative-passive sentences when:
- You were forced to do something you didn’t want to do.
- You were harassed or manipulated into doing something.
- You want to emphasize that the action was unpleasant for you.
How to Form Causative-Passive Verbs
Rules for Verb Conjugation:
- Ru-verbs: Drop “-ru” and add -sase-rare-ru.
Example: 食べる (taberu) → 食べさせられる (tabesaserareru) - U-verbs ending in す: Drop “-u” and add -ase-rare-ru.
Example: 話す (hanasu) → 話させられる (hanasaserareru) - Other U-verbs: Drop “-u” and add -asare-ru.
Examples:- 行く (iku) → 行かされる (ikasareru)
- 泳ぐ (oyogu) → 泳がされる (oyogasareru)
- 買う (kau) → 買わされる (kawasareru)
- Irregular Verbs:
- する (suru) → させられる (saserareru)
- くる (kuru) → こさせられる (kosaserareru)
Notes on Morphology:
For most verbs, the causative-passive form combines the causative suffix (-sase) with the passive suffix (-rare). However, for some u-verbs, the suffix -asare is shorter and more common in everyday usage.
Examples
Basic Structure:
私は 彼女に 車を洗わされました。
(Watashi wa kanojo ni kuruma o arawasaremashita.)
I was tricked by my girlfriend into washing her car.
Comparison with Causative Sentences:
Causative-Passive:
私は 友だちに 宿題を手伝わされました。
(Watashi wa tomodachi ni shukudai o tetsudawasaremashita.)
I was forced by my friend into helping him with his homework.
Causative:
友だちは私に宿題を手伝わせました。
(Tomodachi wa watashi ni shukudai o tetsudawasemashita.)
My friend made me help him with his homework.
Comparison with Plain Sentences:
Causative-Passive:
はなこは お母さんに勉強させられました。
(Hanako wa okaasan ni benkyou saseraremashita.)
Hanako was ordered by her mother to study.
Plain:
はなこは勉強しました。
(Hanako wa benkyou shimashita.)
Hanako studied.
Notes
- Particle Use: The person being forced (the puppet) is marked with は or が, and the person giving the order (the puppet master) is marked with に.
- Natural Usage: While some forms like 書かせられる (kakasareru) are grammatically correct, shorter forms like 書かされる (kakasareru) are more common in casual conversation.
Conclusion
Causative-passive sentences are a powerful way to express situations where you are made to do something against your will. By mastering this grammar, you’ll be able to describe these situations clearly and naturally.
Recommended Resources
To deepen your understanding of causative-passive sentences in Japanese, I recommend the book Japanese Sentence Patterns for Effective Communication: A Self-Study Course and Reference by Taeko Kamiya. This resource presents 142 essential Japanese sentence patterns, including causative-passive structures, with clear explanations tailored for English speakers. It’s well-regarded for its practical approach to mastering Japanese grammar.
