Understanding Causative-Passive Forms
Causative-passive forms combine causative (making/letting someone do something) and passive (receiving an action). This is a key N2 grammar point used to express being made to do something, often with a nuance of unwillingness or burden.
๐ฏ Causative Forms (ไฝฟๅฝนๅฝข)
Formation
Group 1 Verbs (u-verbs):
Change u-sound to a-sound + ใใ
ๆธใ โ ๆธใใใ (make write)
้ฃฒใ โ ้ฃฒใพใใ (make drink)
ๅพ
ใค โ ๅพ
ใใใ (make wait)
่ฉฑใ โ ่ฉฑใใใ (make speak)
Group 2 Verbs (ru-verbs):
Remove ใ + ใใใ
้ฃในใ โ ้ฃในใใใ (make eat)
่ฆใ โ ่ฆใใใ (make see)
ๆใใ โ ๆใใใใ (make teach)
Irregular Verbs:
ใใ โ ใใใ (make do)
ๆฅใ โ ๆฅใใใ (make come)
Special note:
For Group 1 single-syllable stems ending in ใ:
่ฉฑใ โ ่ฉฑใใใ (not ่ฉฑใใใ)
Causative Usage Patterns
1. Forced Action (ๅผทๅถ)
ๆฏใฏๅญไพใซ้่ใ้ฃในใใใใ
The mother makes her child eat vegetables.
ๅ
็ใฏๅญฆ็ใซๅฎฟ้กใใใใใ
The teacher makes students do homework.
2. Allowing Action (่จฑๅฏ)
่ฆชใฏๅญไพใ้ใฐใใใ
Parents let their children play.
ไผ็คพใฏ็คพๅกใๆฉใๅธฐใใใใ
The company let employees go home early.
3. Causing to Happen (ๅผใ่ตทใใ)
ใใฎ่ฌใฏ็ ใใใใใ
This medicine makes you sleepy.
ใใฎ่ฉฑใฏ็งใ็ฌใใใใ
That story made me laugh.
Particle Usage:
Person ใ/ใซ + Action ใใใ
- ใ: emphasis on forcing
- ใซ: softer, allowing nuance
Examples:
ๅญไพใๅๅผทใใใใ(make the child study - forced)
ๅญไพใซๅๅผทใใใใ(let the child study - allowed)
๐ Passive Forms (ๅ่บซๅฝข)
Formation
Group 1 Verbs (u-verbs):
Change u-sound to a-sound + ใใ
ๆธใ โ ๆธใใใ (be written)
้ฃฒใ โ ้ฃฒใพใใ (be drunk)
ๅพ
ใค โ ๅพ
ใใใ (be waited for)
่ฉฑใ โ ่ฉฑใใใ (be spoken)
Group 2 Verbs (ru-verbs):
Remove ใ + ใใใ
้ฃในใ โ ้ฃในใใใ (be eaten)
่ฆใ โ ่ฆใใใ (be seen)
ๆใใ โ ๆใใใใ (be taught)
Irregular Verbs:
ใใ โ ใใใ (be done)
ๆฅใ โ ๆฅใใใ (be come to)
Note: Group 2 passive = potential form
้ฃในใใใ can mean "be eaten" or "can eat"
Context determines meaning!
Passive Usage Types
1. Direct Passive (็ดๆฅๅ่บซ)
ๆณฅๆฃใ่ญฆๅฏใซๆใพใใใใใ
The thief was caught by the police.
ใใฎๆฌใฏๅคใใฎไบบใซ่ชญใพใใฆใใใ
This book is being read by many people.
2. Indirect Passive (้ๆฅๅ่บซ) - Japanese specific!
้จใซ้ใใใฆใๆฟกใใฆใใพใฃใใ
I was rained on and got wet.
ๅ้ใซๆฅใใใฆใๅๅผทใงใใชใใฃใใ
My friend came (on me) and I couldn't study.
ๅญไพใซๆณฃใใใฆใๅฐใฃใใ
My child cried (on me) and I was troubled.
3. Adversity Passive (่ฟทๆใฎๅ่บซ)
่ฒกๅธใ็ใพใใใ
My wallet was stolen. (I suffered)
้ป่ปใง่ถณใ่ธใพใใใ
My foot was stepped on in the train. (I suffered)
๐ซ Causative-Passive Forms (ไฝฟๅฝนๅ่บซ)
Formation
Two Methods (same meaning):
Method 1: More common
Group 1: a-sound + ใใใใ
ๆธใ โ ๆธใใใใใ
ๅพ
ใค โ ๅพ
ใใใใใ
Group 2: Remove ใ + ใใใใใ
้ฃในใ โ ้ฃในใใใใใ
่ฆใ โ ่ฆใใใใใ
Irregular:
ใใ โ ใใใใใ
ๆฅใ โ ๆฅใใใใใ
Method 2: Contracted form (spoken)
Group 1: a-sound + ใใใ
ๆธใ โ ๆธใใใใ (more common in speech)
ๅพ
ใค โ ๅพ
ใใใใ
Note: Group 2 doesn't contract
้ฃในใใใใใ (not ้ฃในใใใใ)
Causative-Passive Usage
Meaning: "To be made to do something" (often unwillingly)
Examples:
1. ๅญไพใฎ้ ใใใขใใ็ฟใใใใใใ
When I was a child, I was made to learn piano.
(Implies: I didn't want to)
2. ไผ่ญฐใง็บ่กจใใใใใใ
I was made to present at the meeting.
(Implies: unwilling or unexpected)
3. ไธๅธใซๆฎๆฅญใใใใใใ
I was made to work overtime by my boss.
(Implies: didn't want to but had to)
4. ้ทใ้ๅพ
ใใใใใ(contracted form)
I was made to wait for a long time.
(Common expression of complaint)
5. ๅซใใช้ฃใน็ฉใ้ฃในใใใใใใ
I was made to eat food I dislike.
(Clearly unwilling)
Nuance:
โ Often expresses unwillingness
โ Implies burden or inconvenience
โ Speaker is affected negatively
โ Common in complaints
Compare:
ๅฎฟ้กใใใใใใใ(was made to do - unwilling)
ๅฎฟ้กใใใใ(did - neutral)
ๅฎฟ้กใใใใใ(made someone do)
Common Causative-Passive Expressions
ๅพ
ใใใใ (be made to wait)
โ 1ๆ้ใๅพ
ใใใใใ
I was made to wait for a whole hour.
ใใใใใ (be made to do)
โ ๅซใชไปไบใใใใใใใ
I was made to do unpleasant work.
่ชญใพใใใ (be made to read)
โ ้ฃใใๆฌใ่ชญใพใใใใ
I was made to read a difficult book.
ๆธใใใใ (be made to write)
โ ใฌใใผใใๆธใใใใใ
I was made to write a report.
่กใใใใ (be made to go)
โ ้ ใๆใพใง่กใใใใใ
I was made to go to a distant place.
้ฃฒใพใใใ (be made to drink)
โ ใ้
ใ้ฃฒใพใใใใ
I was made to drink alcohol.
่ฒทใใใใ (be made to buy)
โ ้ซใ็ฉใ่ฒทใใใใใ
I was made to buy something expensive.
่ใใใใ (be made to listen)
โ ้ทใ่ฉฑใ่ใใใใใ
I was made to listen to a long story.
๐ Comparison Chart
Example verb: ้ฃในใ (to eat)
Active (่ฝๅๆ
):
็งใฏ้ฃในใใ
I eat.
Causative (ไฝฟๅฝน):
ๆฏใฏๅญไพใซ้่ใ้ฃในใใใใ
The mother makes the child eat vegetables.
Passive (ๅๅๆ
):
้่ใ้ฃในใใใใ
Vegetables are eaten.
Causative-Passive (ไฝฟๅฝนๅ่บซ):
็งใฏ้่ใ้ฃในใใใใใใ
I was made to eat vegetables.
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโฆโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโฆโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
โ Form โ Example โ Meaning โ
โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโฌโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโฌโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโฃ
โ Dictionary โ ๅพ
ใค โ wait โ
โ Causative โ ๅพ
ใใใ โ make wait โ
โ Passive โ ๅพ
ใใใ โ be waited for โ
โ Caus-Passive โ ๅพ
ใใใใ โ be made wait โ
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโฉโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโฉโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
๐ก Practice Exercises
Exercise 1: Form Practice
่ชญใ โ Causative-Passive form
Answer: ่ชญใพใใใ / ่ชญใพใใใใ
(be made to read)
(be made to read)
ๆธใ โ Causative-Passive form
Answer: ๆธใใใใ / ๆธใใใใใ
(be made to write)
(be made to write)
Exercise 2: Choose the Correct Form
ๅญไพใฎ้ ใๆฏๆฅใใขใใ___ใ
A. ็ฟใใใ B. ็ฟใใใ C. ็ฟใใใใใ
A. ็ฟใใใ B. ็ฟใใใ C. ็ฟใใใใใ
Answer: C. ็ฟใใใใใ (was made to learn)
When I was a child, I was made to practice piano every day.
A = made someone learn (causative)
B = was learned (passive - wrong usage)
C = was made to learn (causative-passive) โ
When I was a child, I was made to practice piano every day.
A = made someone learn (causative)
B = was learned (passive - wrong usage)
C = was made to learn (causative-passive) โ
ไธๅธใซ้ทใ้___ใ
A. ๅพ ใค B. ๅพ ใใใ C. ๅพ ใใใใ
A. ๅพ ใค B. ๅพ ใใใ C. ๅพ ใใใใ
Answer: C. ๅพ
ใใใใ (was made to wait)
I was made to wait a long time by my boss.
I was made to wait a long time by my boss.
Exercise 3: Translation Practice
I was made to write a report.
ใฌใใผใใๆธใใใใใ/ ใฌใใผใใๆธใใใใใใ
She was made to drink medicine.
ๅฝผๅฅณใฏ่ฌใ้ฃฒใพใใใใ/ ้ฃฒใพใใใใใ
Exercise 4: Identify the Nuance
Which sentence expresses unwillingness?
1. ๅฎฟ้กใใใใ
I did my homework. (neutral)
2. ๅฎฟ้กใใใใใใใ
I was made to do my homework. (unwilling) โ
3. ๅฎฟ้กใใใใใ
I made someone do homework. (neutral)
Answer: Sentence 2 expresses unwillingness/burden
โ ๏ธ Common Mistakes
โ ้ฃในใใใใ (Wrong contraction for Group 2)
โ ้ฃในใใใใใ (Group 2 doesn't contract)
โ ้ฃในใใใใใ (Group 2 doesn't contract)
I was made to eat.
โ ๅ
็ใๅญฆ็ใๅๅผทใใใใใใ
โ ๅญฆ็ใๅ ็ใซๅๅผทใใใใใใ
โ ๅญฆ็ใๅ ็ใซๅๅผทใใใใใใ
The student was made to study by the teacher.
In causative-passive, the receiver becomes the subject.
In causative-passive, the receiver becomes the subject.
โ ๆฅฝใใใใจใใใใใใใ(Contradiction)
โ ๆฅฝใใใใจใใใใฆใใใฃใใ
โ ๆฅฝใใใใจใใใใฆใใใฃใใ
I was allowed to do something fun.
ใใใใใ implies unwillingness, so avoid with positive actions.
ใใใใใ implies unwillingness, so avoid with positive actions.
๐ฏ Key Takeaways
- Causative formation: a-sound + ใใ (Group 1), ใใใ (Group 2)
- Passive formation: a-sound + ใใ (Group 1), ใใใ (Group 2)
- Causative-passive: Combines both forms to mean "be made to do"
- Unwillingness nuance: Often implies the action was unwanted or burdensome
- Contraction rules: Group 1 can contract (ๅพ ใใใใ), Group 2 cannot
- Common in complaints: Used when expressing dissatisfaction or inconvenience
- Particle usage: ใ for emphasis on forcing, ใซ for allowing
- Subject change: In causative-passive, the person affected becomes the subject