Grammar › Passive & Causative
させる/せる — the causative
“Make/let someone do something” — the verb form for causing or permitting an action
The causative attaches させる to ru-verb stems and せる to u-verb 'a'-stems, and covers two related meanings: making someone do something (often against their will) and letting/allowing them to — context and particle choice tell them apart. With に the person often keeps some agency (let them); with を, the causer's control reads stronger (make them).
How to form it
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| Ru-verb: stem + させる | 食べる→食べさせる — make/let (someone) eat |
| U-verb: a-stem + せる | 行く→行かせる — make/let (someone) go |
| Permission nuance | 子供に好きなだけ遊ばせます — I let my kids play as much as they like |
Example sentences
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 母は私に毎日野菜を食べさせました。 | はははわたしにまいにちやさいをたべさせました。 hahahawatashinimainichiyasaiwotabesasemashita。 | My mother made me eat vegetables every day. |
| 先生は学生に発表させました。 | せんせいはがくせいにはっぴょうさせました。 senseihagakuseinihappyousasemashita。 | The teacher had the students give presentations. |
| 子供を一人で行かせるのは心配です。 | こどもをひとりでいかせるのはしんぱいです。 kodomowohitorideikaserunohashinpaidesu。 | I'm worried about letting my child go alone. |
🔊 Tap any Japanese sentence to hear it; kanji link to their study pages.
Watch out
に vs を changes the flavor: 子供に野菜を食べさせる (let/make the child eat — the child still does the eating) keeps に because 食べる already has an object; verbs with no object, like 歩く, take を for the causee instead (弟を歩かせた — I made my brother walk).