Posted inN4 Grammar

JLPT N4 Grammar: させられる (saserareru) – Made To Do It (Against My Will!)

Posted inN4 Grammar
Japanese Grammar Template
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

To be forced or made to do something by someone else.

🎯 Primary Function

Expresses that the subject of the sentence was unwillingly caused to perform an action by another person or entity. Often carries a nuance of burden or suffering (被害の受身 – Passive of Suffering).

📋 Grammar Structure

Verb (Causative form) + られる/られる (Passive form) Group 1 Verbs (う verbs): Drop る and add される to the ない-form base (e.g., 行く -> 行かない -> 行かされる / ikasareru) Group 2 Verbs (る verbs): Drop る and add させられる (e.g., 食べる -> 食べさせられる / tabesaserareru) Irregular Verbs: する -> させられる (saserareru) 来る (くる) -> 来させられる (こさせられる / kosaserareru)

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Can be used, but might be less common in highly formal, polite speech unless describing a hardship. Other expressions might be preferred.

😊 Informal Situations

Very common, especially when complaining or describing unpleasant obligations.

✍️ Written Language

Appears in written contexts like diaries, articles, or stories where personal experiences or burdens are described.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Frequently used in daily conversation.

💡 Common Applications

Describing being forced to work or study.
Used when someone (like a boss or teacher) makes you do something you didn’t want to.
Example: 上司に休日出勤をさせられました。(Joushi ni kyuujitsu shukkin o saseraremashita.) – I was made to work on my day off by my boss.
Describing being made to eat or drink something.
Used when someone makes you consume something you dislike or didn’t want.
Example: 子供にピーマンを食べさせられました。(Kodomo ni piiman o tabesaseraremashita.) – I was made to eat green peppers by my child.
Describing being forced to attend an event or go somewhere.
Used when you were obligated or made to go to a place or event unwillingly.
Example: 友達の結婚式の二次会に行かせられた。(Tomodachi no kekkonshiki no nijikai ni ikaserareta.) – I was made to go to my friend’s wedding after-party.
📊
Frequency
Moderately frequent, particularly when discussing obligations or negative experiences.
🎚️
Difficulty
Moderate for N4. Conjugation requires attention, and understanding the nuance of “unwillingness” is important.
Example Sentences
私は母に毎日部屋の掃除をさせられます。
I am made to clean my room by my mother every day.
弟に変な歌を聞かせられた。
I was made to listen to a strange song by my younger brother.
先生に放課後、学校に残らさせられた。
I was made to stay at school after class by the teacher.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

Focus on the subject’s feeling.
The key nuance is that the subject *didn’t want* to do the action but was forced or made to do it. It often implies discomfort, burden, or suffering for the subject.
Example: 友達の引越しを手伝わされました。(Tomodachi no hikkoshi o tetsudawasaremashita.) – I was made to help with my friend’s move. (Implies I wasn’t eager to help or found it troublesome.)
Often uses 「〜に」 to indicate the person or thing doing the forcing.
The person or thing causing the action is usually marked with the particle 「に」.
Example: 父に早く寝させられました。(Chichi ni hayaku nesaseraremashita.) – I was made to go to bed early by my father.

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ Confusing it with the simple passive form (〜れる/られる).
✅ 〜れる/られる indicates being the recipient of an action, not necessarily being *forced* to act.
シンプル受身 (Simple Passive): 友達に誕生日を祝われた。(Tomodachi ni tanjoubi o iwareta.) – I was celebrated for my birthday by my friend. (I received the celebration). 使役受身 (Causative Passive – させられる): 友達にカラオケで歌を歌わされた。(Tomodachi ni karaoke de uta o utawasareta.) – I was made to sing a song at karaoke by my friend. (I was forced/persuaded to perform the action of singing).
❌ Incorrect conjugation, especially for Group 1 verbs.
✅ Remember Group 1 verbs use the ない-form base + される (e.g., 読む -> 読まされる), NOT 読ませられる.
Group 1: V(ない form base) + される. Group 2: V(stem) + させられる. Irregular: する -> させられる, 来る -> 来させられる.

🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Can sound like a complaint, so be mindful of the context and who you are speaking to. It’s not inherently impolite but can portray the speaker as someone who is suffering or burdened.
Social Situations: Often used when discussing obligations from superiors (bosses, teachers, parents) or annoying actions by others (colleagues, family members, even inanimate things causing trouble like noise).
Regional Variations: The general meaning and form are standard, though regional variations might exist in specific nuances or sentence structures.

🔍 Subtle Differences

させられる vs. 〜て もらう (Passive meaning)
させられる implies being forced or unwillingly made to do something, often with a negative feeling. 〜て もらう (in a passive sense) can sometimes mean having someone do something for you, but it can also imply receiving a favour or benefit, or simply stating a fact without the strong negative nuance of being forced.
When to use: Use させられる when you want to emphasize the feeling of being forced or burdened. Use 〜て もらう when stating that someone did something for you or to you, without necessarily highlighting the negative feeling of being forced.
させられる vs. 〜させる (Causative)
させられる means *I am made* to do something. 〜させる means *I make someone else* do something.
When to use: Use させられる when *you* are the one being acted upon (forced). Use 〜させる when *you* are the one causing someone else to do something.
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📝 Conjugation Notes

Remember the different conjugations for Group 1, Group 2, and irregular verbs. The structure is essentially [Causative Stem] + [Passive Ending れる/られる]. For Group 1, the causative stem already ends in -asa/-ika/-ka, which then combines with れる to become される. For Group 2 and Irregulars, the causative stem ends in -sase, which combines with られる.

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

Pay attention to the length of vowels in words like させられる (saserareru). The する verb conjugation させられる is particularly common.

🧠 Memory Tips

Think of させられる as “sa-se-rare-ru”. “Sa-se” is part of the causative, “rare” is part of the passive. Putting them together shows “made (sa-se) to be acted upon (rare)”. Or, remember the phrase 「いやいやさせられる」(iya iya saserareru – made to do reluctantly).

Practice Exercises
私は先生に重い荷物（　　　　）。 (was made to carry)
を持たせた
を持たされた
を持った
を持たせたられた
父に古い服を（　　　　）。 (was made to wear)
着させた
着られた
着させられた
着た
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