Posted inN4 Grammar

Requesting Permission Politely: Using 〜させてください (Sasete Kudasai) – JLPT N4 Grammar

Posted inN4 Grammar
Japanese Grammar Template
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

Please let me… / Please allow me to…

🎯 Primary Function

To politely request permission from someone to allow the speaker to perform an action.

📋 Grammar Structure

Verb (causative て form) + ください – Group 1 Verbs: Base (ます form without ます) + せ + て + ください (e.g., 読む → 読ませて → 読ませてください) – Group 2 Verbs: Base (ます form without ます) + させて + ください (e.g., 食べる → 食べさせて → 食べさせてください) – Group 3 Verbs: する → させて + ください (させてください), 来る (くる) → 来させて + ください (来させてください)

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Appropriate in formal situations when asking a superior, elder, or customer for permission.

😊 Informal Situations

Can be used, but might sound slightly more formal than very casual requests depending on the relationship.

✍️ Written Language

Used in formal emails or letters when requesting permission or stating an intent that requires approval.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Very common in daily conversations when asking for permission.

💡 Common Applications

Asking for permission
Used to ask someone to allow you to do something, like leaving, speaking, resting, etc.
Example: すみません、お手洗いに**行かせてください**。 (Excuse me, please let me go to the restroom.)
Expressing a desire to do something (requiring permission)
Can be used to express a strong desire or willingness to do something, framed as asking for the opportunity or permission.
Example: この仕事、私に**やらせてください**。 (Please let me do this job. / Please allow me to do this job.)
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📊
Frequency
Very common in various social contexts.
🎚️
Difficulty
Medium (Requires understanding of verb conjugation and causative form).
Example Sentences
すみません、お手洗いに**行かせてください**。
Excuse me, please let me go to the restroom.
この仕事、私に**やらせてください**。
Please let me do this job. / Please allow me to do this job.
少し休ま**せてください**。
Please let me rest a little.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

Focus on the speaker’s action
This pattern is used when the speaker is asking for permission for themselves to do something, requesting the listener to allow it.
Example: 私が荷物(にもつ)を持たせてください。(Correct: Please let me carry the luggage.) 友達に荷物を持たせてください。(Incorrect for this pattern: This means “Please let my friend carry the luggage”, which is different and less common with 〜ください.)
Implied willingness or desire
Depending on the context, it can strongly convey the speaker’s desire or willingness to perform the action, framing it as asking for the opportunity.
Example: 私が報告書(ほうこくしょ)を書かせてください。(Please let me write the report. – often implying “I want to write the report, please let me.”)

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ Using it to give permission to others
✅ Use 〜てもいいです or the causative form followed by 〜てあげる/〜てやる etc. when giving permission for someone else to do something.
〜させてください is strictly for the speaker requesting permission for their own action.
❌ Incorrect causative て-form conjugation
✅ Carefully review Group 1, 2, and 3 verb causative forms (-せる/-させる) and then add てください.
Mistakes often occur with Group 1 verbs (using させて instead of せたり).

🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Medium to High. It is a polite way to ask for permission, showing respect for the listener’s authority or position.
Social Situations: Widely used when interacting with superiors, elders, teachers, or customers. Can be used with peers or family when the request requires genuine permission or is somewhat significant.
Regional Variations: Standard Japanese.

🔍 Subtle Differences

〜させてください vs 〜てもいいですか
〜させてください focuses on requesting the listener to *allow* the speaker to do something. 〜てもいいですか focuses on asking *if it is okay/permitted* for the speaker to do something.
When to use: 〜させてください can sound slightly more formal, humble, or emphasize the need for the listener’s explicit allowance. 〜てもいいですか is a general polite way to check if an action is permissible.
〜させてください vs 〜ます
〜ます simply states the speaker’s intention or action. 〜させてください is a request for permission *before* performing the action.
When to use: Use 〜させてください when you need explicit permission or approval from someone before proceeding.
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📝 Conjugation Notes

Remember the causative forms: – Group 1: 行く -> 行かせる -> 行かせて – Group 2: 食べる -> 食べさせる -> 食べさせて – Group 3: する -> させる -> させて, 来る -> 来させる -> 来させて

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

Practice the flow of the causative て-form connected to ください. The “sa” or “ma” sound before “sete” is important for conjugation accuracy.

🧠 Memory Tips

Break it down: Verb ( causative: make someone do…) + て + ください (please). Think “Please make me [Verb]” which translates conceptually to “Please let me [Verb]”.

Practice Exercises
Fill in the blank: 先生、この質問に私に（＿＿＿＿＿＿）。 (Teacher, please let me answer this question.)
答えてください
答えさせてください
答えたいです
答えるでしょう
Which sentence correctly uses 〜させてください?
私は友達に本を読まさせてください。
明日、早く帰らせてください。
子供にゲームをさせてください。
先生に日本語を教えてさせてください。
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