JLPT N4 grammar

Causativemeaning and usage

Meaning

  1. Make (somebody) A, this is coercive or forced onto the object of the sentence.
  2. Allow (somebody) to A, this is permission from the subject to the object.
  3. Make (somebody) A, because of the subject; the object is caused to A

How to form it

  • godan verb (nai-form without ない)せる
  • ichidan verb stem (without る)させる
  • する → させる/来る → 来させる
  • personに/をverb (causative form)

How it is used

U-verbs add 「せる」 to the ない-stem (「書かせる」); ru-verbs replace 「る」 with 「させる」 (「食べさせる」). It means making or letting someone do something, and is not normally used to make a superior act. To ask permission for yourself, say 「〜させてください」.

Examples

  1. お母さん、いや！私は先週やったので、今度はお兄さんに片付けさせて。

    No, Mom! I did it last week, so make (my) brother clean up this time.

  2. 先生は学生に作文を書かせました。

    The teacher had the students write an essay.

  3. すみません、少し考えさせてください。

    Sorry, please let me think about it a little.