“Causative-Passive (〜saserareru)”: Being Made to Do 〜 [JLPT N4]

Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026

「残業させられた」「食べたくないのに食べさせられた」 — being forced/reluctantly made to do something.

「毎日残業させられて…」 — the resignation of being forced to do

「毎日、上司に残業させられている」 (every day I'm made to work overtime by my boss) — the causative-passive 「〜させられる」 takes the standpoint of the person being forced, expressing “being (unwillingly) required to do something.” It fuses the causative (〜させる = make someone do) with the passive (be ~ed), full of reluctance and grievance. How: godan あ-row ＋ される, ichidan ＋ させられる. This guide covers the conjugation and use, and separates it from causative and passive.

Core: the victim's-eye “forced to do”

• Causative (〜させる) = make someone do (the active side): 上司が私に残業させる (the boss makes me work overtime).
• Causative-passive (〜させられる) = be forced to do (the receiving side): 私は上司に残業させられる (I'm made to work overtime by the boss).

Same event, told from the “forced” side → させられる, with a reluctant, put-upon feeling.

How to Connect

Examples in context

• 毎日、上司に残業させられている。(I'm made to work overtime every day.) — resignation
• 子供の頃、ピアノを練習させられた。(As a kid I was made to practice piano.) — forced
• 嫌いな食べ物を食べさせられた。(I was made to eat food I dislike.) — grievance
• 飲み会でたくさん飲まされた。(I was made to drink a lot at the party.) — contracted
• 長い話を聞かされた。(I was forced to listen to a long story.) — contracted

⚠️ Easy traps to avoid

① させられる (forced) vs させる (make do) are opposite viewpoints. 私は残業させられる (I'm forced = receiving side) vs 上司が残業させる (the boss makes = active side). Who's the subject and who bears it decides which.

② Godan has the contraction 「〜される」. 飲ませられる→飲まされる, 書かせられる→書かされる (very common in speech). But す-ending verbs don't contract (話させられる ○, 話さされる ✗).

③ It carries reluctance. させられる is almost always negative/put-upon; for “willingly entrusted,” use 〜てもらう and the like, not させられる.

🔄 Compare: causative / passive / causative-passive

💡 Learning tip

The causative-passive is N4's big boss, but grab the “victim's viewpoint” and you're halfway there: 「〜させられる」 = I'm (unwillingly) made to do. The most useful piece is the godan contraction 「〜される」 (飲まされる, 待たされる, 行かされる) — Japanese speech almost always uses it, so listening will hit it. For conjugation, learn “godan あ-row ＋ される, ichidan ＋ させられる,” then drill the high-frequency ones (飲まされる, やらされる).

❓ Quick FAQ

Q: 「させる」 vs 「させられる」 — the real difference?

Opposite viewpoints. 「〜させる」 = I make someone do (I'm the active side: 先生が学生に本を読ませる); 「〜させられる」 = I'm forced to do (I'm the receiving side: 学生が先生に本を読まされる). Check whether the subject is “the one ordering” or “the one forced.”

Q: 「飲まされる」 or 「飲ませられる」?

Both are correct — 「飲まされる」 is the colloquial contraction of 「飲ませられる」, common with godan verbs (smoother, more used). But す-ending verbs don't contract (話す→話させられる, not 話さされる). Everyday speech favors the contraction.

🖊️ Practice Quiz

Q1. What is the causative-passive (contracted form) of 「飲む」?

(A) 飲まされる　(B) 飲まれさせる　(C) 飲ませられる　(D) 飲まれた

Q2. What is the core nuance of the causative-passive?

(A) actively doing something

(B) being forced/made to do something reluctantly (victim/complaint)

(C) allowing someone to do something

(D) making someone do something

Q3. What does 「嫌いな食べ物を食べさせられた」 mean?

(A) I forced others to eat food they dislike

(B) I was forced to eat food I dislike (reluctantly)

(C) I like eating that food

(D) no one forced me to eat

Q4. What's the difference between 「させられる」 and 「させる」?

(A) identical

(B) させる is the causer's view (make … do); させられる is the causee's view (be forced to do)

(C) させる is past; させられる is present

(D) entirely different connections

Q5. What does 「子供の頃ピアノを練習させられた」 imply?

(A) I willingly enjoyed practicing piano

(B) I was forced (by parents etc.) to practice piano as a child (reluctant, with a hint of complaint)

(C) I make my child practice piano

(D) practicing was my own decision

Answer Key

1. (A) 飲まされる ── the contracted causative-passive of 飲む (飲ませられる → 飲まされる).

2. (B) ── being forced/made to do something reluctantly (a victim/complaint perspective).

3. (B) ── 食べさせられた = was forced to eat (reluctantly).

4. (B) ── させる is the causer's view (make … do); させられる is the causee's view (be forced to do).

5. (B) ── ‘was made to practice piano as a child' (reluctant, with a nostalgic complaint).

Full Causative-Passive Conjugation Table

Godan Contracted Form (〜される)

Godan verbs often shorten the causative-passive in speech:

• 書かせられる → 書かされる
• 飲ませられる → 飲まされる

Note: す-ending verbs (話す) can't contract → 話させられる (not 話される, which would just be the plain passive).

Common Mistakes (Quick Reference)

Causative vs Passive vs Causative-Passive