JLPT N4 Passive, causative, and permission
These patterns change who acts: られる expresses ability or passive, させる makes or lets someone act, and させられる means being made to act. させてください asks permission, while なければならない and な cover obligation and blunt prohibition. Many learners confuse potential られる with passive られる, since for ru-verbs the forms are identical.
12 N4 grammar points in this group
ことができる (koto ga dekiru): can; be able to
できる on its own means “can do” or “is possible.” こと turns a verb into a noun, like “-ing” in English. Put together: 泳ぐこと (swimming) + ができる (is possible) = “can swim.
日本語の新聞を読むことができます。 — I can read Japanese newspapers.
られる (rareru): can do; potential form
Use られる when you want to express the N4 idea of “potential form; can do” in natural Japanese.
私は辛い料理が食べられます。 — I can eat spicy food.
他動詞 & 自動詞 (tadoushi jidoushi): transitive and intransitive verb pairs
Use 他動詞 & 自動詞 when you want to express transitive and intransitive verb pairs in a Japanese sentence.
ドアを開けました。 — I opened the door.
受身形 (ukemi kei): passive form
Use 受身形 when you want to express passive form in a Japanese sentence.
私は先生にほめられました。 — I was praised by the teacher.
させる (saseru): make or let someone do
Use させる when you want to show that someone causes, allows, or forces another person to do something.
母は子どもに野菜を食べさせました。 — The mother made the child eat vegetables.
させられる (saserareru): be made to do
Use させられる when you want to express the N4 idea of “to be made to do” in natural Japanese.
子どものころ、ピアノを練習させられました。 — When I was a child, I was made to practice piano.
させてください (sasete kudasai): please let me do
Use させてください when you want to ask someone to allow you to perform an action. It is a humble, polite request that places the speaker in a lower social position relative to the listener.
少し考えさせてください。 — Please let me think for a moment.
なければいけない (nakereba ikenai): must do; have to
The pattern states that something is necessary. The obligation might come from a rule, a deadline, a promise, or just your own sense of what needs doing.
明日までに家賃を払わなければいけません。 — I have to pay the rent by tomorrow.
なければならない (nakereba naranai): must do; have to
Use なければならない when you want to express the N4 idea of “must do; have to do” in natural Japanese.
ルールを守らなければなりません。 — You must follow the rules.
必要がある (hitsuyou ga aru): need to do
必要 is a noun meaning “necessity.” A verb in the dictionary form sits in front of it and tells you *what* is necessary, and ある says that this necessity exists.
もっと勉強する必要があります。 — I need to study more.
が必要 (ga hitsuyou): need; be necessary
必要 means “necessary,” and N が必要です literally means “N is necessary.” In natural English that becomes “you need N,” “N is required,” or “it takes N.
旅行にはお金が必要です。 — You need money to travel.
な (na): do not do; prohibition
Adding な to the dictionary form of a verb produces a prohibition: an order not to do something.
ここに入るな。 — Keep out.
More JLPT N4 grammar groups
- Conditionals and decisions (11)
- Giving, receiving, requests, and keigo (15)
- Te-form helpers for real conversation (15)
- Time, timing, and sequence (17)
- Plans, intention, and change (8)
- Soft examples, lists, and limits (13)
- Hearsay, appearance, and feelings (17)
- Guessing, certainty, and wondering (11)
- Nominalizers, quoting, and comparison (14)