させられる (Causative-Passive)
Verbs (Causative-passive voice), To be made to do something, To be forced to do
Structure
［る1］Verb ￫ 見
［す］Verb ￫ 話
［る5］Verb ￫ 座
座
［う］Verb ￫ 歌
歌
［く］Verb ￫ 歩
歩
［つ］Verb ￫ 打
打
［ぬ］Verb ￫ 死
死
［ぶ］Verb ￫ 飛
飛
［む］Verb ￫ 休
休
［ぐ］Verb ￫ 泳
泳
Exceptions:
する ￫ させられる
くる ￫ こさせられる
Explanation
When the causative auxiliary verb, せる (or させる), is joined with the passive auxiliary verb, られる, it forms the causative-passive voice. Sentences using this grammar are told from the perspective of the person who was compelled to do something, often implying it was against their will.
To create this form, you first conjugate a verb into its standard causative form with せる or させる. Then, you simply remove the final る from the causative form and attach られる. This will result in the pattern させられる (derived from ru-verbs) or a verb stem ending in an 'a-vowel' sound plus せられる (derived from u-verbs).
- 先生に教室を掃除させられる。The teacher makes me clean the classroom.
- こんなに長い時間待たせられるとは思わなかった。I never thought I would be made to wait this long.
- 部長にカラオケを歌わせられたから、喉が痛い。My throat is sore because the department head made me sing karaoke.
- 母に変な服を着させられるのが本当に嫌だ。I really hate it when my mom makes me wear weird clothes.
Just like their causative forms, the irregular verbs する and 来る follow unique conjugation patterns. する becomes させられる, and 来る becomes 来させられる.
- 毎週土曜日に残業させられる。I'm forced to work overtime every Saturday.
- 休みなのに、会議のために会社に来させられた。Even though it was my day off, I was made to come to the company for a meeting.
Caution
In contrast to the standard causative, the addition of られる shifts the sentence's perspective. The subject, marked by が, is now the person being compelled to act, not the one causing the action. The person who is doing the forcing, when included in the sentence, will be marked with the particle に.
- 子供の時は、姉が母に買い物をさせられていた。When we were children, my older sister was made to do the shopping by our mother.
- 子供の時は、姉に買い物をさせられていた。When we were children, my older sister used to make me do the shopping.
Caution
In causative-passive constructions, the shortened passive form れる cannot be used in place of られる. This is a consistent rule for verbs where the conjugation point ends in an 'e'-vowel sound, which is the case for both causative endings せる and させる. (Note that this rule does not apply to the potential form).
Examples
疲れていたのに、部屋を片付けさせられた。
Even though I was tired, I was made to clean up my room.
私は父に買い物を手伝わされた。
I was made to help with the shopping by my father.
どんな作文を書かされたの？
What kind of essay were you forced to write?
寒い中、外で待たされた。
I was made to wait outside in the cold.
興味がない話を聞かされたのです。
I was forced to listen to a story I have no interest in.
部長に重い荷物とか、資料とか運ばされた。
I was made to carry things like heavy luggage and documents by the department manager.
罰ゲームで嫌いな食べ物を食べさせられた。
As a penalty in a game, I was forced to eat food I hate.
先輩に遅くまで会社に残らされたから、終電を逃した。
My senior colleague made me stay at the office late, so I missed the last train.
やっと入った部活だったのに、辞めさせられた。
Even though it was a school club I had finally joined, I was forced to quit.
毎週日曜日に、部屋の掃除をさせられます。
Every Sunday, I'm made to clean my room.
失敗すれば、最初から全部やらされるよ。
If you mess up, you'll be forced to do it all over from the beginning, you know.
全然歌いたくなかったのに、カラオケで何曲も歌わされた。
I didn't want to sing at all, but at karaoke I was made to sing several songs.
私は何も悪いことをしていないのに、みんなの前で謝らされた。
Even though I didn't do anything wrong, I was made to apologize in front of everyone.