受け身形, 使役形, and 使役受け身形: A side by side comparison practice


`受け身形, 使役形, and 使役受け身形.` These forms confuse me to no end. Therefore, I have
done a sort of comparison practice using these forms side by side. Each
sentence is followed by my translation, and then a usage note underneath.

> **受け身** ：  
>  僕は変なオッサンにわけのわからない問題を聞かれちゃった。  
>  _I got asked some weird question by a strange オッサン._

Here the **adversarial/undesirable passive** is used. I often confuse the
undesirable passive with the causative or the causative-passive, because I
think in some cases they have similar meanings, if not identical. This is why
I include this usage in this practice.

*Related topic for other beginners: [Subject and object of a passive sentence are interchangeable?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/33403/subject-and-object-of-a-passive-sentence-are-interchangeable "Subject and object of a passive sentence are interchangeable?")

> **受け身＋てくれる** ：  
>  僕は変なオッサンにわけのわからない問題を聞かれてくれちゃった。  
>  _I got asked some weird question by a strange オッサン._

Adding **てくらる/てもらう/てあげる** makes the sentence even harder to understand,
because the subject and the action are further removed from each other. In
this sentence, my understanding is that **てもらう** is not suitable, because it
has the nuance of `receiving the action after you have requested it`. Although
**てくれる** and **てもらう** can be confusing when the topic/subject is dropped,
**てあげる** has a very specific direction instead. With **てあげる** , `the action is
done by the speaker for someone else`, thus making it unsuitable for this
sentence. I'm not sure if using **てくれる** is natural though.

*Related discussion & article:  
a. [てくれる vs てもらう when the topic or subject is
implied](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/44982/%E3%81%A6%E3%81%8F%E3%82%8C%E3%82%8B-vs-%E3%81%A6%E3%82%82%E3%82%89%E3%81%86-when-
the-topic-or-subject-is-implied "てくれる vs てもらう when the topic or subject is
implied")  
b. [てくれる and てもらう](http://www.japanese-language.aiyori.org/article8.html "てくれる
and てもらう")

> **使役1** (transitive verb)：  
>  変なオッサンは僕にわけのわからない問題を答えさしちゃった。  
>  _A strange old man made me answer some weird question._  
>  *Alternative causative form: 答えさせる⇒答えさす

[Tae Kim](http://www.guidetojapanese.org/learn/grammar/causepass "Tae Kim")
lists this alternative form as a valid causative form alternative for **る
verbs** , but not all websites do.

Another interesting point about this **-す** causative form is that "it is not
productive, and can only mean make-causative." (Source topic: [Confusion
between causatives and intransitive-
transitive](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/4662/confusion-
between-causatives-and-intransitive-transitive?rq=1 "Confusion between
causatives and intransitive-transitive"))

**Edit:** Too deep a topic and too wide a scope. I think a beginner should
stay away from the **alternative causative form, -す**. See this article:
[Imabi](http://www.imabi.net/causativeformissues.htm "Imabi")

> **使役2** (intransitive verb)：  
>  つい最近まで、なんか変なオッサンは僕を困らせていちゃった。  
>  _A strange オッサン had been bothering me until quite recently._

With intransitive verbs, usually **に means the action is allowed for the
performer** , whereas **を means the performer is made to do such action**.
However, note that `having two を in a clause is ungrammatical`, so に is the
only option in spite of context. I think ていて+しまう may be unnatural.

Article about the "に/を + intransitive verb" phenomenon: [With Intransitive
Verbs](https://www.wasabi-jpn.com/japanese-grammar/japanese-causative-form/
"Wasabi")

> **使役受け身** ：  
>  僕は変なオッサンにわけのわからない問題を答えさせられちゃった。  
>  I was forced to answer some weird question by a strange オッサン.

This meaning seems to overlap with the **1st 使役** usage. I think sometimes
even the **undesirable 受け身** expresses the same meaning as well.

**Edit:**  
**オッサン** is a word that I don't really know how to translate into English.
Personally, I think it is **a term of endearment** (up a notch with **おっちゃん**
), but it could well be `offensive if used under the wrong circumstances`.
**変なオッサン・変なおじさん** though, is probably only **derogatory**.

* * *

If not too much trouble, please point out any misunderstanding and/or error.
Moreover, if this topic counts as **proofreading** , please point it out, and
then I will remove it immediately.




First of all, I change your sentence to more natural like
変なオッサンは、僕にわけのわからない質問をした(A strange old man asked me some weird questions).

The passive form is 僕は変なおっさんに訳の分からない質問をされた(I got asked some weird questions by
a strange old man).

If you want to use くれる, it is 変なおっさんは訳の分からない質問を僕にしてくれた(A strange old man gave
me some weird questions) .

If you want to use もらう, it is 僕は変なおっさんに訳の分からない質問をしてもらった(I got some weird
questions from a strange old man).

But くれる and もらう is a bit unnatural in this sentence because they are used for
good action for a speaker.

The causative form "A strange old man made me answer some weird question" is
変なオッサンは僕にわけのわからない質問を答えさせた. I think 答えさせた is better than 答えさした。

つい最近まで、なんか変なオッサンは僕を困らせていちゃった is unnatural but つい最近まで、なんか変なオッサンは僕を困らせていた.

The passive form(the causative passive) is つい最近まで、なんか変なオッサンに僕は困らせられていた.
However it is a bit verbose. You can say it simply like
つい最近まで、なんか変なオッサンに僕は困っていた.

Your last sentence makes sense.




First of all, I change your sentence to more natural like
変なオッサンは、僕にわけのわからない質問をした(A strange old man asked me some weird questions).

The passive form is 僕は変なおっさんに訳の分からない質問をされた(I got asked some weird questions by
a strange old man).

If you want to use くれる, it is 変なおっさんは訳の分からない質問を僕にしてくれた(A strange old man gave
me some weird questions) .

If you want to use もらう, it is 僕は変なおっさんに訳の分からない質問をしてもらった(I got some weird
questions from a strange old man).

But くれる and もらう is a bit unnatural in this sentence because they are used for
good action for a speaker.

The causative form "A strange old man made me answer some weird question" is
変なオッサンは僕にわけのわからない質問を答えさせた. I think 答えさせた is better than 答えさした。

つい最近まで、なんか変なオッサンは僕を困らせていちゃった is unnatural but つい最近まで、なんか変なオッサンは僕を困らせていた.

The passive form(the causative passive) is つい最近まで、なんか変なオッサンに僕は困らせられていた.
However it is a bit verbose. You can say it simply like
つい最近まで、なんか変なオッサンに僕は困っていた.

Your last sentence makes sense.

