Minna no Nihongo Lesson 48: The causative — JLPT N4 Grammar | Rirekisho Builder

The key idea of Lesson 48: the causative form describes a situation in which one person causes another person to perform an action. Depending on the situation, the natural English translation may be make someone do, let someone do, have someone do, or allow someone to do.

Lesson 48 at a glance

1. Causative form

Change ordinary verbs into forms such as 行かせます, 食べさせます, and させます.

2. Intransitive verbs

Learn how the person doing the caused action is marked with を or に.

3. Transitive verbs

Use the pattern Person に Object を Causative Verb.

4. ～させていただけませんか

Ask very politely for permission to do something.

1. What is the causative form?

Person A は Person B に／を Verb-Causative

A causative verb means that Person A causes Person B to perform an action. Japanese does not have separate causative verb forms for English “make” and “let.” The same causative form can express both, and the exact interpretation comes from context.

Normal verb vs causative:
Normal verb: “B does X.”
Causative verb: “A causes B to do X.”

For example:
子供こどもが野菜やさいを食たべます。 = The child eats vegetables.
母ははは子供こどもに野菜やさいを食たべさせます。 = The mother makes/has the child eat vegetables.

When is causative Japanese commonly used?

A parent makes or allows a child to do something.
A teacher directs or allows students to do something.
A manager assigns an action to a subordinate.
Someone causes another person to experience an emotion.
A speaker asks permission to perform an action: ～させてください / ～させていただけませんか.

Important: the causative form can sound controlling when it is used about a socially superior person. Japanese often uses giving/receiving expressions instead when the speaker is receiving a favor from a superior. This is explained later in this lesson.

2. How to make the causative form

Group 1 verbs

Change the final u-row sound of the dictionary form to the corresponding a-row sound, then add せる.

For verbs ending in う, use わせる, not あせる.
Example: 買かう → 買かわせる

Dictionary form	Causative plain	Causative polite	Meaning
飲のむ	飲のませる	飲のませます	make/let someone drink
書かく	書かかせる	書かかせます	make/let someone write
話はなす	話はなさせる	話はなさせます	make/let someone speak
待まつ	待またせる	待またせます	make someone wait
運はこぶ	運はこばせる	運はこばせます	make/let someone carry
読よむ	読よませる	読よませます	make/let someone read
帰かえる	帰かえらせる	帰かえらせます	make/let someone go home
買かう	買かわせる	買かわせます	make/let someone buy

From the ます-form, the same idea can be seen as changing the sound before ます to the a-row and adding せます: 飲のみます → 飲のませます.

Group 2 verbs

Remove る from the dictionary form and add させる. In the ます-form, remove ます and add させます.

Dictionary form	Causative plain	Causative polite	Meaning
食たべる	食たべさせる	食たべさせます	make/let someone eat
見みる	見みさせる	見みさせます	make/let someone see/watch
起おきる	起おきさせる	起おきさせます	make/let someone get up
建たてる	建たてさせる	建たてさせます	make/let someone build

Group 3 verbs

Dictionary form	Causative plain	Causative polite
する	させる	させます
来くる	来こさせる	来こさせます
出張しゅっちょうする	出張しゅっちょうさせる	出張しゅっちょうさせます

Causative verbs conjugate like Group 2 verbs

Once you create a causative verb such as 飲のませる, it behaves like a Group 2 verb.

Form	Example	Meaning
Dictionary	飲のませる	make/let drink
Polite	飲のませます	make/let drink
Negative	飲のませない	do not make/let drink
Past	飲のませた	made/let drink
て-form	飲のませて	used before another grammar expression

This matters because the second major grammar point of Lesson 48 uses the causative て-form: ～させていただけませんか.

3. Causative sentences with intransitive verbs

Intransitive verbs do not normally take a direct object. Common examples include:

行いく・来くる・帰かえる・休やすむ・泣なく・歩あるく・遊あそぶ・待まつ

Causer は Causee を／に Intransitive Verb-Causative

At beginner level, を is the most important marker to learn for the person made to perform an intransitive action. に also appears, especially when を is already needed elsewhere in the sentence or when the sentence is interpreted more permissively. Do not memorize “を always means make” and “に always means let” as an absolute rule. Context decides whether the causative means “make” or “let.”

Examples with を

部長ぶちょうはラオさんを大阪おおさかへ出張しゅっちょうさせます。

Buchō wa Rao-san o Ōsaka e shucchō sasemasu.

The department manager sends/makes Rao go to Osaka on a business trip.

私わたしは運転手うんてんしゅを 2時間じかん待またせました。

Watashi wa untenshu o nijikan matasemashita.

I made the driver wait for two hours.

私わたしは妹いもうとを泣なかせてしまいました。

Watashi wa imōto o nakasete shimaimashita.

I ended up making my younger sister cry.

店長てんちょうはカミロさんを休やすませました。

Tenchō wa Kamiro-san o yasumasemashita.

The store manager had/let Camilo take a rest. Whether this feels like “made” or “let” depends on the situation.

When に is needed because the verb already uses を

Some intransitive movement verbs use を to mark the route or area through which someone moves. If that を is already present, Japanese normally marks the caused person with に.

私わたしは子供こどもに道みちの右側みぎがわを歩あるかせます。

Watashi wa kodomo ni michi no migigawa o arukasemasu.

I make my child walk on the right side of the road.

Why に?
道みちの右側みぎがわを歩あるく already uses を for the route. Using another を for the child would make the sentence difficult to parse, so the child is marked with に.

部長ぶちょうは部下ぶかに会社かいしゃを休やすませました。

The department manager made/allowed the subordinate to take time off work.

In 会社かいしゃを休やすむ, を marks the place/activity from which the person is absent. Therefore, the person is naturally marked with に in the causative sentence.

“Make” vs “let” with an intransitive verb

先生せんせいは子供こどもたちを自由じゆうに遊あそばせました。

The teacher let the children play freely.

The verb form itself is still causative. The word 自由に and the situation tell us that the teacher is allowing rather than forcing the children.

Better rule: do not rely only on を or に to decide “make” versus “let.” Look at the relationship, the vocabulary, and whether the action is desired or imposed.

4. Causative sentences with transitive verbs

Transitive verbs take a direct object. Because the object normally uses を, the person caused to do the action is marked with に.

Causer は Causee に Object を Transitive Verb-Causative

朝あさは忙いそがしいので、娘むすめに朝あさご飯はんの準備じゅんびを手伝てつだわせます。

Asa wa isogashii node, musume ni asagohan no junbi o tetsudawasemasu.

Because I am busy in the morning, I have my daughter help prepare breakfast.

毎日まいにち、子供こどもに野菜やさいを食たべさせます。

Mainichi, kodomo ni yasai o tabesasemasu.

I make/have my child eat vegetables every day.

先生せんせいは学生がくせいに自由じゆうに意見いけんを言いわせました。

Sensei wa gakusei ni jiyū ni iken o iwasemashita.

The teacher let the students express their opinions freely.

父ちちは弟おとうとに好すきなことをやらせます。

Chichi wa otōto ni suki na koto o yarasemasu.

My father lets my younger brother do what he likes.

Fast way to recognize the pattern:
If the original sentence already contains an object with を, the caused person will normally be marked with に.

子供こどもが野菜やさいを食たべます。
↓ causative
母ははは子供こどもに野菜やさいを食たべさせます。

5. The particle system: を or に?

Situation	Causee	Typical structure
Intransitive verb, no competing を	を is common	Person A は Person B を行かせます
Transitive verb with an object	に	Person A は Person B に Object を食べさせます
Intransitive verb whose path/place already uses を	に	Person A は Person B に道を歩かせます

Do not memorize: を = force and に = permission.
That can sometimes help as a beginner intuition, but it is not a dependable grammatical rule. The causative itself can mean “make,” “let,” or “have,” and context supplies the nuance.

6. Causative verbs, hierarchy, and politeness

Causative sentences often imply that one person has the authority to direct another person's action. Because of that, status matters.

Natural direction: higher → lower

A manager can assign work to a subordinate, a parent can direct a child, and a teacher can direct a student.

部長ぶちょうは部下ぶかを大阪おおさかへ出張しゅっちょうさせました。

The department manager sent the subordinate to Osaka on a business trip.

When a superior does something for you

If you asked a superior to perform an action for your benefit, directly saying that you “made” the superior do it can sound inappropriate. Japanese commonly uses a giving/receiving expression instead.

Superior

部長ぶちょうに説明せつめいしていただきました。

I had the department manager explain it to me. / I received the favor of an explanation from the department manager.

Friend / person of similar status

友達ともだちに説明せつめいしてもらいました。

I had my friend explain it to me.

Important distinction: English “I had the manager explain it” may sound causative, but polite Japanese often frames the event as receiving the person's action/favor rather than controlling that superior.

Talking about someone inside your organization to an outsider

In business Japanese, a speaker may use the causative when describing how someone from the speaker's own side will be assigned to do something for an outside person. The internal rank of that employee is not the main point for the listener.

駅えきに着ついたら、電話でんわしてください。係かかりの者ものを迎むかえに行いかせます。

When you arrive at the station, please call us. I will send one of our staff to pick you up.

Here, 係かかりの者もの belongs to the speaker's side. The causative presents the employee as someone the speaker's organization will assign to the task.

7. Causatives with emotions

The causative is also very common with verbs and expressions describing emotions. In this use, the sentence means that someone's action or condition caused another person to feel something.

子供こどものころ、体からだが弱よわくて、母ははを心配しんぱいさせました。

Kodomo no koro, karada ga yowakute, haha o shinpai sasemashita.

When I was a child, I was often in poor health and made my mother worry.

あなたを悲かなしませたくないです。

Anata o kanashimasetakunai desu.

I don't want to make you sad.

両親りょうしんを安心あんしんさせたいです。

I want to reassure my parents / make my parents feel relieved.

Useful emotion causatives include: 心配しんぱいさせる (make someone worry), 安心あんしんさせる (reassure), 悲かなしませる (make someone sad), and 喜よろこばせる (make someone happy/pleased).

8. Vさせていただけませんか — “Would you allow me to…?”

Verb-Causative て-form + いただけませんか

This is a very polite way to ask for permission to perform an action. Literally, the speaker is asking whether they can receive the favor of being allowed to do something.

The action is performed by the speaker.
You are not asking the other person to do the action. You are asking the other person to allow you to do it.

How to build it

Normal verb	Causative	Causative て-form	Permission request
使つかう	使つかわせる	使つかわせて	使つかわせていただけませんか
止とめる	止とめさせる	止とめさせて	止とめさせていただけませんか
帰かえる	帰かえらせる	帰かえらせて	帰かえらせていただけませんか

Examples

コピー機きを使つかわせていただけませんか。

Kopīki o tsukawasete itadakemasen ka.

Would you allow me to use the copier?

荷物にもつを降おろしたいんですが、ここにしばらく車くるまを止とめさせていただけませんか。

Nimotsu o oroshitai n desu ga, koko ni shibaraku kuruma o tomesasete itadakemasen ka.

I would like to unload my luggage. Would you allow me to park my car here for a little while?

気分きぶんが悪わるいので、早はやく帰かえらせていただけませんか。

Kibun ga warui node, hayaku kaerasete itadakemasen ka.

I'm not feeling well. Would you allow me to leave early?

Do not confuse these two patterns

コピー機きの使つかい方かたを教おしえていただけませんか。

Could you please teach me how to use the copier?
The other person performs the action.

コピー機きを使つかわせていただけませんか。

Would you allow me to use the copier?
I perform the action; I am asking for permission.

Permission expressions by politeness level

Expression	Typical feeling
Vさせてください	Please let me do it.
Vさせてもらえますか	Could you let me do it?
Vさせていただけますか	Could I be allowed to do it? Very polite.
Vさせていただけませんか	Would you possibly allow me to do it? Very polite and indirect.

In workplaces, formal requests, interviews, presentations, and business settings, ～させていただく is common because it presents the speaker's action as something performed with the other party's permission or consideration.

9. Real-life mini conversations

At work

A：田中たなかさんは明日あした、東京とうきょうへ行いくんですか。

A: Is Tanaka going to Tokyo tomorrow?

B：はい。部長ぶちょうが東京とうきょうへ出張しゅっちょうさせるそうです。

B: Yes. I heard the department manager is sending Tanaka to Tokyo on a business trip.

Parent and child

A：子供こどもは野菜やさいを食たべますか。

A: Does your child eat vegetables?

B：あまり食たべません。でも、毎日まいにち少すこしずつ食たべさせています。

B: Not much, but I have the child eat a little every day.

Asking a manager for permission

A：申もうし訳わけありません。今日きょうは少すこし熱ねつがあります。早はやく帰かえらせていただけませんか。

A: I'm sorry. I have a slight fever today. Would you allow me to leave early?

B：はい、わかりました。無理むりをしないでください。

B: Yes, understood. Please don't push yourself.

10. Common mistakes

Mistake 1: forgetting the う → わ change
❌ 買かあせる
✅ 買かわせる

Mistake 2: using を for the caused person when a transitive verb already has an object
❌ 子供こどもを野菜やさいを食たべさせます。
✅ 子供こどもに野菜やさいを食たべさせます。

Mistake 3: assuming the causative always means “force”
遊あそばせる can mean “make someone play” or “let someone play.” Context determines the intended meaning.

Mistake 4: using a causative directly toward a superior when you received a favor
In many such situations, use Vていただきました instead of describing yourself as having controlled the superior's action.

Mistake 5: confusing Vていただけませんか with Vさせていただけませんか
Vていただけませんか = Could you do V for me?
Vさせていただけませんか = Would you allow me to do V?

11. Quick cheat sheet

Grammar	Pattern	Main meaning
Causative, Group 1	u-row → a-row + せる	make/let/have someone do
Causative, Group 2	る → させる	make/let/have someone do
する	させる	make/let someone do
来くる	来こさせる	make/let someone come
Intransitive causative	Person を／に + causative	Cause someone to perform an intransitive action
Transitive causative	Person に + Object を + causative	Cause someone to act on an object
～させていただけませんか	Causative て-form + いただけませんか	Would you allow me to…?

12. Practice

A. Change to the causative form

飲のむ → ?
行いく → ?
買かう → ?
食たべる → ?
来くる → ?
する → ?

飲のませる
行いかせる
買かわせる
食たべさせる
来こさせる
させる

B. Choose を or に

母ははは子供こども（　）野菜やさいを食たべさせます。
私わたしは運転手うんてんしゅ（　） 2時間じかん待またせました。
私わたしは子供こども（　）道みちの右側みぎがわを歩あるかせます。

に — because 野菜を is the direct object.
を — 待つ is being used without another を phrase.
に — 道の右側を already uses を for the route.

C. Translate into Japanese

I make my child eat vegetables every day.
The manager made me wait for one hour.
I don't want to make my mother worry.
Would you allow me to use this computer?
I'm not feeling well. Would you allow me to leave early?

Sample answers — other natural wordings are also correct.

毎日まいにち、子供こどもに野菜やさいを食たべさせます。
部長ぶちょうは私わたしを 1時間じかん待またせました。
母ははを心配しんぱいさせたくないです。
このパソコンを使つかわせていただけませんか。
気分きぶんが悪わるいので、早はやく帰かえらせていただけませんか。

13. Final memory rules

Group 1：う段だん → あ段だん＋せる

Example: 飲のむ → 飲のませる

Group 2：る → させる

Example: 食たべる → 食たべさせる

する → させる／来くる → 来こさせる

Intransitive: Person を／に + causative

Transitive: Person に + Object を + causative

Very polite permission: Vさせていただけませんか = Would you allow me to V?