sci.lang.japan FAQ / 2. Grammar / 2.2. Verb endings

2.2.2. How does the causative passive form of the verb work?

The causative form of a Japanese verb is the `to make (someone) do' or `to let (someone) do' form. An equivalent of this verb form doesn't exist in English.

For example, kuruma wo ugokaseta, from ugoku "to move", means `I made the car move'.

Making causative forms of verbs
Type of verb	Ending	Examples
godan, or "consonant" (*)	-seru	kaku, "write", becomes kakaseru tatsu, "stand", becomes tataseru yomu, "read", becomes yomaseru
ichidan, or "vowel" (*)	-saseru	miru, "see", becomes misaseru kakeru becomes kakesaseru
kahen (**)	-saseru	kuru, "come", becomes ko-saseru
sahen (**)	-saseru	suru becomes se-saseru (***) or saseru

(*) See 2.1.2. What are group I and group II (also consonant and vowel) verbs? for definitions.
(**) See 2.1.1. What Japanese verbs are irregular? for definitions.
(***) Modern Japanese rarely, if ever, uses the form se-saseru. Another ichidan verb, saseru, originally a short form of se-saseru, is used instead.

To make causative into passive forms, one attaches -rareru to the mizenkei of -seru or -saseru.

Causative-passive forms of verbs
Type of verb Ending Examples
godan, or "consonant" (*) -serareru kaku, "write", becomes kakaserareru or kakasareru
tatsu, "stand", becomes tataserareru or tatasareru
yomu, "read", becomes yomaserareru or yomasareru
ichidan, or "vowel" (*) -saserareru miru, "see", becomes misaserareru
kakeru becomes kakesaserareru
kahen (**) -saserareru kuru, "come", becomes kosaserareru
sahen (**) -saserareru suru becomes sesaserareru or sareru

Causative-passive forms of verbs
Type of verb	Ending	Examples
godan, or "consonant" (*)	-serareru	kaku, "write", becomes kakaserareru or kakasareru tatsu, "stand", becomes tataserareru or tatasareru yomu, "read", becomes yomaserareru or yomasareru
ichidan, or "vowel" (*)	-saserareru	miru, "see", becomes misaserareru kakeru becomes kakesaserareru
kahen (**)	-saserareru	kuru, "come", becomes kosaserareru
sahen (**)	-saserareru	suru becomes sesaserareru or sareru

For the godan verbs, instead of -se-rareru forms, the -sareru forms (shown in red above) also commonly occur. The ending -serareru is gramatically correct for godan verbs. But the -sareru forms are more common than the -serareru forms. However, for ichidan and kahen verbs, -sareru forms do not exist. For example, mi-sareru, kake-sareru, ko-sareru are impossible.

This godan sareru causative-passive verb ending usually doesn't appear in textbooks.

Now let's consider what the -sareru forms of passive causative are. I think they are either:

short forms for -se-rareru forms.
mizenkei of causative verbs derived from godan verbs plus -reru adding the meaning of passive.

The latter idea is based on the assumption that mizenkei of a godan verb plus suffix -su produces another godan verb of causative meaning. For example,

yaru (to do something) becomes yarasu (to make/let someone do something).

Thus yarasu can be used as a godan verb, although the usage is not standard.

Examples of yarasu:

Mizenkei: Kare ni sono shigoto wa yarasanai* hou ga yoi.
Ren'youkei: Kare ni sono shigoto wo yarashi* mashita.
Shuushikei: Sono shigoto wa kareni yarasu*.
Rentaikeu: Sono shigoto wo kare ni yarasu no ha yamero.
Kateikei: Sono Shigoto wa kare ni yaraseba* yoi.

The forms marked with '*' above are not natural but may be possible. The rentaikei (see 2.2.3. What is the `i' verb ending?) form of yarasu is quite possible. So it can be said that yarasu itself is a godan verb.