Japanese grammar · ≈ JLPT N3 · Intermediate 1
〜させられます~saseraremasu
be made to do
Use 「〜させられます」 to describe being made to do something, often unwillingly.
How it works
Mom tells me to write a diary, and I have to, even though I do not want to. 使役受身 expresses this kind of experience.
First, look at the full forms. 使役受身 changes “make someone do something” into “be made to do something.”
Godan verbs: change the final kana to the あ row and add 「せられる」. For example, 「書く→書かせられる」.
Ichidan verbs: remove 「る」 and add 「させられる」. For example, 「食べる→食べさせられる」.
Memorize these irregular forms separately: 「する→させられる」 and 「来る→来させられる」.
In conversation, godan verbs often use a shorter form: 「書かせられる→書かされる」.
Godan verbs ending in 「す」 do not shorten this way: 「話す→話させられる」.
In the diary example, “I” write the diary, and “Mom” makes me do it.
「母が私に日記を書かせました」: Mom makes it happen, and “I” carry out the action.
「私が母に日記を書かせられました」: the same event, told from my perspective of having to do it unwillingly.
When the perspective changes, the particles change too: 「母が」, the person making it happen, becomes 「母に」.
Example sentences
- 子供kodomoのnoころ、koro、私watashiはwa母hahaにni毎日mainichi日記nikkiをo書かせられました。kakaseraremashita。
In a conversation
Check yourself
Level 1 · Recognise
Which sentence is correct?
Level 1 · Recognise
Listen and choose the meaning
Level 2 · Build
Put the words in order
I grew up in a strict home environment, so I was made to help out every day.
Level 3 · Use
What goes in the blank?
子供のころ、私は母に毎日日記を____。
When I was a child, my mother forced me to write a diary every day.
More grammar in this theme
- 〜させられますbe made to do