Mastering the Japanese Causative Form: させる (Saseru)

Mastering the Japanese Causative Form: させる (Saseru)
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

The causative form ‘saseru’ indicates making someone do something (coercion) or letting someone do something (permission/allowance).

🎯 Primary Function

To express that a subject causes an object to perform an action or enter a state.

📋 Grammar Structure

Group 1: Verb (A-form) + せる | Group 2: Verb (Stem) + させる | Group 3: させる (suru), こさせる (kuru)
Not applicable to adjectives directly.
Not applicable to adjectives directly.
Verb (A-form) + せない / Verb (Stem) + させない

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Used in business when asking for permission (e.g., ‘Sasete itadakimasu’) or reporting team actions.

😊 Informal Situations

Common when talking about parenting, training pets, or social interactions involving permission.

✍️ Written Language

Used in literature and reports to describe cause-and-effect relationships.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Frequent in daily life, often shortened to ‘~su’ in very casual masculine speech (e.g., ‘ikasasu’).

💡 Common Applications

Coercion (Make)
Forcing or instructing someone to perform an action.
Example: Kodomo ni yasai o tabesaseru.
Permission (Let)
Giving someone permission to do something or allowing a natural process to occur.
Example: Kodomo o soto de asobaseru.
Inducing Emotion
Causing someone to feel a certain emotion (to make someone surprised, sad, happy, etc.).
Example: Kanojo o odorakaseru.
📊
Frequency
High
🎚️
Difficulty
JLPT N4
Example Sentences
Example #1
母は子供に野菜を食べさせました。
Furigana: はははこどもにやさいをたべさせました。
Romaji: Haha wa kodomo ni yasai o tabesasemashita.
English: The mother made her child eat vegetables.
Example #2
先生は学生を早く帰らせました。
Furigana: せんせいはがくせいをはやくかえらせました。
Romaji: Sensei wa gakusei o hayaku kaerasemashita.
English: The teacher let the students go home early.
Example #3
私は弟を泣かせました。
Furigana: わたしはおとうとをなかせました。
Romaji: Watashi wa otouto o nakasemashita.
English: I made my younger brother cry.
Example #4
部長は部下にレポートを書かせました。
Furigana: ぶちょうはぶかにレポートをかかせました。
Romaji: Buchou wa buka ni repooto o kakasemashita.
English: The boss had the subordinate write the report.
Example #5
両親は私を日本に留学させました。
Furigana: りょうしんはわたしをにほんにりゅうがくさせました。
Romaji: Ryoushin wa watashi o Nihon ni ryuugaku sasemashita.
English: My parents let me study abroad in Japan.
Example #6
理由を説明させてください。
Furigana: りゆうをせつめいさせてください。
Romaji: Riyuu o setsumei sasete kudasai.
English: Please let me explain the reason.
Example #7
彼は彼女を1時間待たせました。
Furigana: かれはかのじょをいちじかんまたせました。
Romaji: Kare wa kanojo o ichijikan matasemashita.
English: He made his girlfriend wait for an hour.
Example #8
面白い話がみんなを笑わせました。
Furigana: おもしろいはなしがみんなをわらわせました。
Romaji: Omoshiroi hanashi ga minna o warawasemashita.
English: The funny story made everyone laugh.
Example #9
子供に危ないことをさせたくありません。
Furigana: こどもにあぶないことをさせたくありません。
Romaji: Kodomo ni abunai koto o sasetaku arimasen.
English: I don’t want to let my children do anything dangerous.
Example #10
コーチは選手に10キロ走らせました。
Furigana: コーチはせんしゅに10キロはしらせました。
Romaji: Koochi wa senshu ni juu-kiro hashirasemashita.
English: The coach made the players run 10 kilometers.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

The ‘O’ and ‘NI’ Particle Rule
If the verb is intransitive, the causee is marked with ‘o’. If the verb is transitive, the causee is marked with ‘ni’.
Example: Kodomo o arukaseru (Intransitive) vs. Kodomo ni hon o yomaseru (Transitive).
Requesting Permission
The causative form combined with ‘kudasai’ is a standard way to ask for permission.
Example: Ikasete kudasai (Please let me go).

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ Using ‘ni’ and ‘o’ incorrectly based on whether the verb is transitive or intransitive.
✅ Tomodachi ni utawaseru (friend-NI) or Tomodachi o odorakaseru (friend-O).
Confusing the particles ‘ni’ and ‘o’ for the person being caused to act.

🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: The causative form itself is neutral, but it is often combined with humble or polite forms like ‘~te itadakimasu’ to show extreme politeness.
Social Situations: Be careful using the causative ‘make’ nuance with superiors, as it sounds very rude; instead, use ‘te morau’.
Regional Variations: In some dialects like Kansai, the causative and passive forms may have unique local variations.

🔍 Subtle Differences

Saseru vs. Te morau
‘Saseru’ implies force or permission, while ‘te morau’ implies receiving a favor.
When to use: Use ‘te morau’ when you are thankful for someone’s action.

📝 Conjugation Notes

For Group 1 verbs ending in ‘u’, the ‘u’ changes to ‘wa’ before adding ‘seru’ (e.g., kau -> kawaseru). For Group 2, replace ‘ru’ with ‘saseru’.

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

Ensure the ‘sa’ sound is clear in ‘saseru’ to distinguish it from the passive ‘rareru’.

🧠 Memory Tips

Think of ‘S’ in Saseru as ‘Someone’ making ‘Someone’ do something. Group 1 verbs use the short ‘seru’, while Group 2 use the long ‘saseru’.

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