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Lesson 48 — 使役形しえきけい(causative)

BOOK II · 初級 II みんなの日本語 · Mini no Nihongo

L48 · causative 使役形

Name Date

REF使役形しえきけい(causative)

Making the causative

GroupRuleExample
1 godanu-row → a-row + せる
1 · う-endingう → わせる
2 ichidanる → させる
3 irreg.—

Don't confuse with the passive (L37):

passive = 〜れる / 〜られる · causative = 〜せる / 〜させる

書かかれる(was written) vs 書かかせる (make someone write).

All causatives conjugate as Group II.

Particle depends on the verb's transitivity

Verb typePatternExample
intransitive
transitive

A sentence can hold only one を — that's why transitive verbs push the person to に.

Make vs let — same form

ReadingSignalExample
make (coercion)context / unwilling person
let (permission)

Common causative uses

work / school orders
parenting
causing emotion

Emotion verbs (心配しんぱいする · 喜よろこぶ · 困こまる · 笑わらう · 驚おどろく) take を: 母ははを心配しんぱいさせました.

Humble permission requests

FormPolitenessExample
polite
very humble
humble announcement

Set expressions会話かいわ

Key vocabulary

降おろします届とどけます通かよいます驚おどろきます喜よろこびます心配しんぱいします世話せわをします笑わらいます泣なきます怒おこります残業ざんぎょうします自由じゆう部長ぶちょう課長かちょう社長しゃちょう部下ぶか塾じゅく予定よてい用事ようじ半日はんにち

詳説 In depth — grammar notes

Making the 使役形しえきけい (causative)

GroupRuleExample
I (godan)final kana → あ-row + せる
II (ichidan)drop る, add させる
III

Every causative is a Group II verb afterwards: .

Same あ-row rule as the ない-form and the passive, including the わ: ✕ · ○.

FormShapeDo not confuse
passive (L37)something happened to me
causativeI made someone do it
causative-passiveI was made to do it

Particles depend on the verb's transitivity

This is the part that decides whether a causative sentence is right.

Verb typePatternExample
intransitive (no を already)
transitive (already has を)
JapaneseEnglish
The mother sent her child shopping.
The manager had me do the copying.
The teacher made the students stand.
My father has my sister learning piano.

Only one を per clause. ✕ → ○.

Make vs let — the same form

Japanese does not distinguish "make" from "let"; the situation does.

JapaneseReading it as "make"Reading it as "let"
force the child to eat vegetables✕ unlikely
✕ unlikelylet the child play
—please let me rest

To make "let" unambiguous, add てあげる/てやる: — I let the child play (kindly).

The subject of a causative is always the person with authority — a parent, a boss, a teacher. Saying about your own manager is insulting; use the humble request forms below instead.

Common uses

UseExample
orders at work
parenting
making someone feel
causative + てください
心配しんぱいさせます安心あんしんさせます喜よろこばせます笑わらわせます泣なかせます困こまらせます

Humble permission requests

The causative て-form plus a receiving verb is the polite way to ask to be allowed to do something — ordered from most polite down.

RequestPoliteness
most polite
I will (with your permission)
plain request
casual
JapaneseEnglish
I have something on tomorrow — might I take the day off?
Please let me do that job.
Could I use the copier?
I'll now give my presentation.

Error table

✕○Why
う-verbs take わ
来くる is irregular
transitive verb → person takes に
intransitive verb → person takes を
you cannot cause a superior to act
no extra さ on Group I verbs

Try translating

EnglishJapanese
The teacher made the students write kanji.
My mother sent me shopping.
I have my son practise the piano every day.
I'm sorry to have worried you.
Please let me do that job.
Could I take tomorrow off?

練習 Practice — 9 questions

  1. Q1 G1 · causative

    Causative form of行いきます

    行 い
    く
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    A godan: u→a + せる. (行いかれる = passive,行いける = potential)
  2. Q2 G1 · う-ending

    Causative form of 言いいます

    言 い
    う
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    B う → わせる
  3. Q3 G2 · causative

    Causative form of 食たべます

    食 た
    べ
    る
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    B ichidan: る→させる
  4. Q4 G3 · causative

    Causative of します /来きます

    す
    る
    ・
    来 く
    る
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    A させる /来こさせる(こさせる)
  5. Q5 key contrast

    Passive vs causative — which ending is CAUSATIVE?

    対比 たいひ
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    B Causative = せる/させる. Passive = れる/られる.
  6. Q6 intransitive · を

    'The manager sent me on a business trip to Osaka.' (出張しゅっちょうする = intransitive)

    を
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    B Intransitive verb → 人ひとを + causative
  7. Q7 transitive · に

    'The mother made her child eat vegetables.' (食たべる = transitive)

    に
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    B Transitive verb → 人ひとに+ 物ものを + causative
  8. Q8 permission request

    'Could I be allowed to leave early?' (humble)

    さ
    せ
    て
    い
    た
    だ
    く
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    A causative + ていただけませんか = most humble permission request
  9. Q9 let me

    'Please let me explain.'

    せ
    て
    く
    だ
    さ
    い
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    B causative + てください = let me do it

解答 Answer key

  1. Q1 A godan: u→a + せる. (行いかれる = passive,行いける = potential)
  2. Q2 B う → わせる
  3. Q3 B ichidan: る→させる
  4. Q4 A させる /来こさせる(こさせる)
  5. Q5 B Causative = せる/させる. Passive = れる/られる.
  6. Q6 B Intransitive verb → 人ひとを + causative
  7. Q7 B Transitive verb → 人ひとに+ 物ものを + causative
  8. Q8 A causative + ていただけませんか = most humble permission request
  9. Q9 B causative + てください = let me do it