The causative-passive is the passive of the causative form. It describes the situation from the side of the person who is forced: 'I was made to do it'. The subject is the one who actually does the action, but does it because someone else (marked with に) ordered it. It usually shows that the speaker did not want to do it or found it unpleasant.
§1Structure
Group I (五段): change the final -u sound to the -a sound + せられる, usually shortened to -a + される (書く → 書かせられる / 書かされる, 待つ → 待たされる, 飲む → 飲まされる, 行く → 行かされる, 歌う → 歌わされる). Verbs ending in す keep the long form (話す → 話させられる). Group II (一段): drop る + させられる (食べる → 食べさせられる). Group III: する → させられる, 来る → 来させられる (こさせられる). It conjugates as a Group II verb. Sentence pattern: [person who is forced] は + [person who forces] に + (object を) + causative-passive verb.
§2Examples
子どものとき、母に野菜を食べさせられました。
こどものとき、ははにやさいをたべさせられました。
When I was a child, I was made to eat vegetables by my mother.
カラオケで、先輩に歌を歌わされました。
カラオケで、せんぱいにうたをうたわされました。
At karaoke, I was made to sing a song by my senior.
病院で2時間も待たされました。
びょういんでにじかんもまたされました。
I was kept waiting for as long as two hours at the hospital.
毎日、先生に漢字を書かせられます。
まいにち、せんせいにかんじをかかせられます。
Every day I am made to write kanji by my teacher.
弟は父に部屋を掃除させられた。
おとうとはちちにへやをそうじさせられた。
My younger brother was made to clean his room by our father.
日曜日なのに、部長に会社へ来させられた。
にちようびなのに、ぶちょうにかいしゃへこさせられた。
Even though it was Sunday, I was made to come to the office by my manager.
子どものころ、どんなことをさせられましたか。
こどものころ、どんなことをさせられましたか。
What kinds of things were you made to do when you were a child?
わたしは親に勉強させられたことがありません。
わたしはおやにべんきょうさせられたことがありません。
I have never been made to study by my parents.
§3Common mistakes
- Using the short form where it is not possible. The short form 〜される exists only for Group I verbs that do not end in す. 話さされる and 食べさされる are wrong. Say 話させられる and 食べさせられる.
- Putting the wrong person as the subject. The person who is forced is the subject, and the person who gives the order takes に. If your mother made you help, 母はわたしに手伝わされました is wrong, because it means your mother was forced by you. Say わたしは母に手伝わされました.
- Using the causative-passive for something you were kindly allowed to do. 父に留学させられました means your father forced you to study abroad against your wishes. If you wanted to go and he allowed it, use 〜させてもらいました: 父に留学させてもらいました.
§4How it's different from similar grammar
- Causative form (せる / させる: make / let someone do)
- The two forms describe the same event from opposite sides. The causative takes the side of the person who gives the order: コーチは選手を走らせました (The coach made the players run). The causative-passive takes the side of the person who has to do it, and adds the feeling of being forced: 選手はコーチに走らされました (The players were made to run by the coach).
- Passive form (れる / られる: be done to)
- In a plain passive sentence, the に-person does the action and the subject only receives it: わたしは先生に名前を呼ばれました (My name was called by the teacher; the teacher called). In a causative-passive sentence, the subject does the action because the に-person ordered it: わたしは先生に教科書を読まされました (I was made to read the textbook by the teacher; I read).
§5How this shows up on the JLPT
This form is at the top end of N4 and is also tested at N3. Grammar questions usually give the causative, the passive and the causative-passive of one verb, so first ask: who does the action, and did they want to? If the subject does it unwillingly because of the に-person, choose the causative-passive. Learn the short forms that are very common in real use, such as 待たされる, 飲まされる, 買わされる and 行かされる. In reading and listening, questions often ask who actually did the action, so follow は and に carefully.
§6Quick check (3 questions)
1. Which is the causative-passive form of 飲む?
のむ
2. Choose the form that fits the blank: わたしはピアノがきらいでしたが、毎日母に1時間練習＿＿。
わたしはピアノがきらいでしたが、まいにちははにいちじかんれんしゅう＿＿。
3. Read the sentence: 「田中さんは部長に大阪へ行かされました。」 Who went to Osaka?
たなかさんはぶちょうにおおさかへいかされました。