JLPT N4 grammar
～させられる — Meaning & Examples
"Was made to do." Causative + passive combined. Very common for expressing frustration: ざんぎょうさせられた = was made to work overtime.
Causative-Passive — ～させられる
Combine causative + passive = "was made to do" — something was forced on you.
Formation: causative form → replace る with られる
たべさせる → たべさせられる (was made to eat)
いかせる → いかせられる (was made to go)
のませる → のまされる (was made to drink — contracted form!)
Examples:
まいにちやさいをたべさせられた。
— I was made to eat vegetables every day.
しゃちょうにざんぎょうさせられた。
— I was made to do overtime by the boss.
にほんごのじゅぎょうでかんじをたくさんかかせられる。
— In Japanese class, we are made to write lots of kanji.
This form is very common in daily complaints — Japanese people use it to express frustration about being forced to do things. It's long but essential for natural conversation.
Practice questions
Try these 2 questions on ～させられる. Pick an answer in your head, then open “Show answer”.
1. Causative of たべる is?
- たべられる (taberareru)
- たべよう (tabeyou)
- たべさせられる (tabesaserareru)
- たべさせる (tabesaseru)
Show answer
Answer: たべさせる (tabesaseru)
Group 2 causative: drop る, add させる. たべる → たべさせる (make/let eat).
2. What does ～させられる express?
- I was made to do
- I make someone do
- I can do
- I want to do
Show answer
Answer: I was made to do
Causative-passive = was made/forced to do. Common for complaints about being forced.
Practise ～させられる in the free app
This point is part of the “Passive & Causative Forms” lesson in A Star Japanese. Study it with examples, a quiz, flashcards and timed JLPT N4 mock exams. Free on iPhone and Android.
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Related N4 grammar points
From the same lesson: Passive & Causative Forms
Frequently asked questions
What does ～させられる mean?
"Was made to do." Causative + passive combined. Very common for expressing frustration: ざんぎょうさせられた = was made to work overtime.
Is ～させられる on the JLPT N4 test?
～させられる is taught in the JLPT N4 grammar course in A Star Japanese (lesson “Passive & Causative Forms”), so it is a pattern learners at this level are expected to recognise. The JLPT does not publish an official grammar list, so treat this as a study guide rather than an official requirement.
How can I practise ～させられる?
Open the “Passive & Causative Forms” lesson in the free A Star Japanese app for iPhone and Android. It has examples, a quiz after every lesson, flashcards with spaced repetition and timed JLPT N4 mock exams, with no ads.