Lesson28:Verbさせられる-Understanding the Japanese Causative-Passive (使役受け身 – Shiekiumikei)

The Japanese causative-passive form (使役受け身 – shiekiumikei), taking the form 「〜させられる」, means “to be made to do something by someone.” This powerful grammatical structure combines the rules of both the causative (使役形 – shiekikei) and passive (受け身形 – ukemikei) forms. It fundamentally shifts the perspective to the person who is being made to do the action.

What the Causative-Passive Expresses

The causative-passive primarily conveys two main meanings:

1. Unwillingness or Compulsion (Forced to Do): This is the most common use. It expresses that the subject was forced or compelled to do something they didn’t want to, often implying annoyance, inconvenience, or an adverse effect.
   • Example: 子供 (こども) のとき、母 (はは) に毎日 (まいにち) 野菜 (やさい) を食 (た) べさせられました。
     • (When I was a child, my mother made me eat vegetables every day, which I didn’t want to.)
2. Having an Emotion Caused: This describes a situation where an external factor or information causes one’s emotions. The subject is the person experiencing the emotion, and the cause of the emotion is marked with 「に」.
   • Example: 彼 (かれ) の話 (はなし) に感動 (かんどう) させられました。
     • (I was moved by his story.)

How to Form the Causative-Passive

Forming the causative-passive involves applying passive rules to the causative form. Here’s a breakdown by verb type:

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Note on Shortenings:

• U-verbs aserare form in causative-passive form (e.g., 書かせられる) are frequently shortened in conversation to asare from「〜される」 (e.g., 書かされる). This shortening is common in spoken Japanese.
• Ru-verbs and Irregular verbs in causative-passive form (e.g., 食べさせられる) are generally not shortened and are pronounced as is.

The Crucial Role of Particles

With the causative-passive, the particle 「に」 (ni) is primarily used to indicate the causer (the person who made someone do something) or the source of an emotion.

• [Person made to do action (Subject)] は [Causer / Source of Emotion] に [Causative-Passive Verb]
  • Example: 友達 (ともだち) は私 (わたし) に 宿題 (しゅくだい) を手伝 (てつだ) わせられました。(My friend was made to help me with my homework by me.)
  • Example: その映画 (えいが) に 深 (ふか) く考 (かんが) えさせられました。(That movie made me think deeply.)

Causative vs. Causative-Passive: Understanding the Relationship

The causative form (使役形) and the causative-passive form (使役受け身) represent two sides of the same coin, describing the same event from different perspectives:

• Causative Form (使役形): The “Causer’s” View
  • This form expresses that someone “made” or “let” another person do an action. The focus is on the causer’s action of initiating or allowing the event.
  • Example: 私 (わたし) は友達 (ともだち) に 宿題 (しゅくだい) を手伝 (てつだ) わせました。(I made my friend help me with my homework.)
    • Here, the speaker (私) is the one in control, causing the friend to help.
• Causative-Passive Form (使役受け身): The “Causee’s” View
  • This form expresses that someone “was made” to do an action. The focus shifts to the causee’s experience of being compelled, often with a nuance of unwillingness, inconvenience, or an emotional response.
  • Example: 友達 (ともだち) は私 (わたし) に 宿題 (しゅくだい) を手伝 (てつだ) わせられました。(My friend was made to help me with my homework by me.)
    • Here, the friend (友達) is the one being affected, compelled by the speaker to help, potentially against their will.

In essence:

• The causative describes the act of causing.
• The causative-passive describes the experience of being caused.

By understanding these two forms, you can precisely convey the intended nuance of control, obligation, and emotional impact in your Japanese communication.