Causative
Make or let someone do.
Godan: change the final u sound to a and add せる; a final う becomes わ. Ichidan: drop る and add させる.
| Verb | Causative | Causative passive |
|---|---|---|
| 書く | 書かせる | 書かされる (書かせられる) |
| 待つ | 待たせる | 待たされる (待たせられる) |
| 買う | 買わせる | 買わされる (買わせられる) |
| 話す | 話させる | 話させられる |
| 食べる | 食べさせる | 食べさせられる |
| する | させる | させられる |
| 来る | 来させる (こさせる) | 来させられる (こさせられる) |
The person made or let to act takes に or を; when the verb already has an object with を, the person takes に. The causative passive means "be made to do". Its short form, as in 書かされる, is used only with godan verbs that don't end in す: 話す becomes 話させられる.
Make or let
Context decides whether the causative means "make" or "let". With てくれる or てください it means "let": 行かせてくれた "let me go", 考えさせてください "let me think".
- Kodomo ni yasai o tabesaseru.I make the children eat vegetables.
- Haha wa watashi o hitori de ryokō ni ikasete kuremashita.My mother let me travel on my own.
- Sukoshi kangaesasete kudasai.Let me think about it for a moment.
Made to do
- Ichijikan mo matasareta.I was made to wait a whole hour.
- Kodomo no koro, mainichi piano o renshū saseraremashita.As a child, I was made to practice the piano every day.
Cards from this guide
8 cardsEach card asks about one thing this guide teaches, and its back gives the answer with why and an example. They're reviewed with the rest of the Verbs cards.
What's the causative ('make or let do') of 待つ (wait)?
待たせる (make wait)
What's the causative of 食べる (eat)?
食べさせる (make or let eat)
What's the causative of する (do)?
させる
In a causative sentence where the verb already has an object with を, which particle marks the person made to act?
に
How do you use the causative to say 'please let me do it', as in 'let me pay'?
The causative て form + ください: 払わせてください.
What does the causative passive, like 待たされる, mean?
Be made to do something: 'be made to wait'.
What's the causative passive ('be made to') of 食べる (eat)?
食べさせられる (be made to eat)
What's the short causative passive of 飲む (drink)?
飲まされる (be made to drink)