Passive and causative
The passive (られる) says something was done to you. The causative (させる) says you made or let someone do something. Put together, させられる means you were made to do it.
Passive: it was done to me
Verb + れる / られる. The doer takes に. Japanese uses it a lot for things that happened to you and bothered you (the "suffering passive"): the rain fell on me, my wallet got stolen.
先生に褒められた。
Reading: せんせいにほめられた。
I was praised by the teacher.
財布を盗まれた。
Reading: さいふをぬすまれた。
My wallet was stolen. (I got my wallet stolen.)
雨に降られた。
Reading: あめにふられた。
I got rained on.
Causative: make, or let
Verb + せる / させる. The person you make or let do it takes に (or を with verbs that take no object). Whether it is "make" or "let" depends on context.
子供に野菜を食べさせる。
Reading: こどもにやさいをたべさせる。
I make the kids eat vegetables.
行かせてください。
Reading: いかせてください。
Please let me go.
Causative passive: I was made to
させられる. The stacked form for things you had no choice about. Long, but you will hear it: at work, at school, from parents.
野菜を食べさせられた。
Reading: やさいをたべさせられた。
I was made to eat vegetables.
二時間も待たされた。
Reading: にじかんもまたされた。
I was kept waiting for two hours. (The short form 待たされる.)
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