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せられる Japanese meaning | Kotomora

せられる

Meanings

1

auxiliary verb, ichidan verb

to do (honorific)

honorific or respectful (sonkeigo)

Honorific auxiliary verb attached to the 未然形 (nai-stem) of verbs, expressing respect toward the subject of the action. Equivalent to られる (honorific) but used with 五段 (godan) and サ変 (suru) verbs. Often replaced by れる in modern speech, but still encountered in formal contexts.

See also: られる · せる

先せん生せいが会かい議ぎで話はなせられる内ない容ようは重

じゅう

要よう

だ

。

The content that the teacher speaks about at the meeting is important.

社しゃ長ちょうは明日あす、大おお阪さかへ行いかせられるそうです。

I hear that the company president will go to Osaka tomorrow.

Similar words

られる
られる is the honorific auxiliary for 一段 (ichidan) and 来る (kuru) verbs, while せられる is used with 五段 (godan) and サ変 (suru) verbs. られる also serves as passive/potential, whereas せられる is purely honorific.
れる
れる is the modern contracted form of せられる for 五段 verbs, more common in contemporary speech. せられる sounds more formal or old-fashioned.

Etymology

Derived from the classical auxiliary verb す (honorific) + られる (passive/honorific). The form せられる is the regular modern reflex, though often contracted to れる in colloquial usage.