For causative passive, Genki prefers to teach the abbreviated ｰ(あ form)される、whereas other sources (such as Tae Kim) teach −(あform)せられる. Which is more often used? I’ve seem to have gotten stuck on not knowing which one to be my main focus on.

3 comments

1. For go-dan verbs (u-verbs), xあされる (e.g.: 行かされる) is favored according to A Handbook of Japanese Grammar Patterns, although the DoBJG uses the longer xあせられる (行かせられる).

   I imagine the language is shifting towards it being easier to say.

2. At least in my experience (Tokyo), no-one ever uses ませられる、only ever まされる in normal everyday speech. I guess you might hear it in very formal or academic scenarios.

   まされる is still looked upon as “incorrect” form by some, in the same way as “to always be” is viewed as incorrect in English. But, like the English example, some native speakers wouldn’t be able to explain why.

3. Languages are constantly changing and evolving. Things get simplified all the time. At first they’re considered incorrect, then gradually considered to be correct. Like ending a sentence with a preposition (where are you coming from? vs From where are you coming? The former sounds more natural for most natives, but was considered incorrect until relatively recently) Or not using whom (who even uses whom nowadays) in English. This is an example of that. When a language is in a period of transition, resources will often teach both the older way and the newer way.

   According to my Japanese teacher される is more common, and though I didn’t hear people use causative passave in conversation all that much when I lived, but I’d agree with that assessment from my personal experience