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させられる
N4 GRAMMAR ⏱ 0s study 📖 0 today
saserareru
causative-passive; to be made to do ~
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させられる
saserareru
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causative-passive; to be made to do ~
N4
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📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level N4
Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences
Reading saserareru
Post ID 50754
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📝 Usage Notes

causative-passive; to be made to do ~

📖 How to use it

Expresses that someone is made to do something, often against their will or due to external pressure.

Attaches to Group 1 verbs (godan): attach される to the ない-form stem (e.g., 行かされる), or せられる for a longer form (e.g., 行かせられる), though the short form is more common in speech. Group 2 verbs (ichidan): attach させられる to the ない-form stem (e.g., 食べさせられる). Irregular verbs: する → させられる, 来る → 来させられる.

This is the causative-passive form. It means someone forces you to do something, and you don't want to do it. The feeling of being made or compelled is key. For example, if your boss makes you work overtime, you say 残業させられる. It often implies a sense of suffering or inconvenience.

Construction: For Group 1 verbs (like 行く, 飲む, 話す), change the final u to an a and add される: 行く → 行かされる. A longer form, 行かせられる, is also possible but less common in speech. For Group 2 verbs (like 食べる, 見る), add させられる to the ない-form stem: 食べる → 食べさせられる. する becomes させられる, and 来る becomes 来させられる. In casual speech, the short form for Group 1 verbs is preferred, but the long form is also correct.

毎日残業させられます。
Mainichi zangyou saseraremasu.
I'm made to work overtime every day.
子供の時、嫌いな野菜を食べさせられました。
Kodomo no toki, kirai na yasai wo tabesaseraremashita.
When I was a child, I was made to eat vegetables I hated.
先生に難しい質問を答えさせられた。
Sensei ni muzukashii shitsumon wo kotaesaserareta.
I was made by the teacher to answer a difficult question.
Not 使役形 (causative) like させる The causative means 'to make someone do something' (I make my child study), while the causative-passive means 'to be made to do something' (I am made to study). The subject is the one forced, not the one forcing.
Register Neutral to slightly formal; used in both speech and writing, but in casual speech the Group 1 short form (e.g., 行かされる) is more common than the long form.
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させられる
📚 How to Master This Pattern
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Press Hear it and repeat させられる three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
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Compose two original sentences using させられる. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
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❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern させられる mean? ▼
Causative-passive; to be made to do ~
What JLPT level is させられる? ▼
Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N4 — Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use させられる in a sentence? ▼
Attach させられる (saserareru) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.
Is させられる formal or casual Japanese? ▼
させられる is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.
How can I remember させられる long-term? ▼
Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.