Want to say you made someone clean their room, or let a friend borrow your car? In Japanese, these ideas use the causative form. This verb form shows that someone caused or allowed another person to do something. It can sound strict or generous depending on context.
Causative Form
To make/let someone do something
Usage Pattern
- Ru-verbs : Verb stem + させる
U-verbs : Change final う to あ-row + せる(ex: 書く → 書かせる）
- Irregular verbs : する → させる, 来る → 来させる
Sentence structure : Person causing は / が + Person affected に / を + causative verb
Details
JLPT Level: N3
How to Use It
The causative form tells us that someone causes or allows another to do something. The nuance depends on context: it can feel like giving permission or like forcing an action. Use に when the person affected is the indirect target of a transitive verb, and を when the person is being directly made to act or has no choice. The causative verb always ends in ～せる and follows regular Ru-verb conjugation rules after that.
Want A Deeper Explanation?
Example 1
子どもに野菜を食べさせました。
こども に やさい を たべさせました。
Kodomo ni yasai o tabesasemashita.
I made my child eat vegetables.
Example 2
部長が私に早く帰らせてくれました。
ぶちょう が わたし に はやく かえらせて くれました。
Gakusei wa sensei to shukudai nitsuite hanashimashita.
My manager let me go home early.
Example 3
犬に公園で遊ばせてあげた。
いぬ に こうえん で あそばせて あげた。
Inu ni kōen de asobasete ageta.
I let my dog play in the park.