Causative with -せる — Japanese Grammar

The causative form is used to express that someone makes or lets another person (or thing) do an action. It corresponds to English phrases like "to make someone do," "to have someone do," or "to let someone do." The nuance can range from direct coercion to gentle permission, depending on the context.

Forming the Causative

The conjugation depends on the verb type.

Ichidan Verbs (る (ru)-verbs)

For ichidan verbs, remove the final (ruruるル) and add (saserusaseruさせるサセル).

(taberutaberuたべるタベル) → (tabesaserutabesaseruたべさせるタベサセル) - to make/let eat
(mirumiruみるミル) → (misaserumisaseruみさせるミサセル) - to make/let see
(okiruokiruおきるオキル) → (okisaseruokisaseruおきさせるオキサセル) - to make/let get up

Godan Verbs (う (u)-verbs)

For godan verbs, change the final -u vowel sound to its corresponding -a sound and add (seruseruせるセル).

(kakukakuかくカク) → (kakaserukakaseruかかせるカカセル) - to make/let write
(nomunomuのむノム) → (nomaserunomaseruのませるノマセル) - to make/let drink
(matsumatsuまつマツ) → (mataserumataseruまたせるマタセル) - to make/let wait
(hanasuhanasuはなすハナス) → (hanasaseruhanasaseruはなさせるハナサセル) - to make/let speak

A special case is for godan verbs ending in (uuうウ), which change to (wawaはハ) before adding (seruseruせるセル).

(iuiuいうイウ) → (iwaseruiwaseruいわせるイワセル) - to make/let say
(kaukauかうカウ) → (kawaserukawaseruかわせるカワセル) - to make/let buy

Irregular Verbs

There are two irregular verbs.

(surusuruするスル) → (saserusaseruさせるサセル) - to make/let do
(kurukuruくるクル) → (kosaserukosaseruこさせるコサセル) - to make/let come

Building Causative Sentences

In a causative sentence, there is a causer (the person making/letting the action happen) and a doer (the person performing the action). The particle used to mark the doer depends on whether the verb is transitive or intransitive.

With Intransitive Verbs

Intransitive verbs are actions that do not take a direct object (e.g., (ikuikuいくイク) - to go, (tatsutatsuたつタツ) - to stand). In these sentences, the doer is marked with the particle (ooをヲ).

The structure is: Causer (wawaはハ)/ (gagaがガ) Doer (ooをヲ) Verb-causative.

先生は生徒を立たせた。
sensei wa seito o tataseta.sensei wa seito o tataseta.せんせいはせいとをたたせた.センセイハセイトヲタタセタ.
The teacher made the student stand up.
母は子供を買い物に行かせた。
haha wa kodomo o kaimono ni ikaseta.haha wa kodomo o kaimono ni ikaseta.はははこどもをかいものにいかせた.ハハハコドモヲカイモノニイカセタ.
The mother made her child go shopping.
部長は田中さんを大阪に出張させた。
buchō wa tanaka-san o ōsaka ni shutchyō saseta.butyô wa tanaka-san o ôsaka ni syutchyô saseta.ぶちょうはたなか-さんをおおさかにしゅundefinedょうさせた.ブチョウハタナカ-サンヲオオサカニシュundefinedョウサセタ.
The department head had Mr. Tanaka go on a business trip to Osaka.

With Transitive Verbs

Transitive verbs are actions that take a direct object (e.g., (taberutaberuたべるタベル) - to eat, (kakukakuかくカク) - to write). In these sentences, the doer is marked with the particle (niniにニ). This is to avoid having two (ooをヲ) particles in the same clause (one for the doer and one for the object).

The structure is: Causer (wawaはハ)/ (gagaがガ) Doer (niniにニ) Object (ooをヲ) Verb-causative.

母は私に野菜を食べさせた。
haha wa watashi ni yasai o tabesaseta.haha wa watasi ni yasai o tabesaseta.はははわたしにやさいをたべさせた.ハハハワタシニヤサイヲタベサセタ.
My mother made me eat vegetables.
先生は生徒に作文を書かせた。
sensei wa seito ni sakubun o kakaseta.sensei wa seito ni sakubun o kakaseta.せんせいはせいとにさくぶんをかかせた.センセイハセイトニサクブンヲカカセタ.
The teacher had the students write an essay.
社長は秘書にコーヒーを入れさせた。
shachō wa hisho ni kōhī o iresaseta.syatyô wa hisyo ni kôhî o iresaseta.しゃちょうはひしょにこおひいをいれさせた.シャチョウハヒショニコーヒーヲイレサセタ.
The company president had his secretary make coffee.

Nuances: Coercion vs. Permission

The causative form can mean either "to make" (coercion) or "to let" (permission). The specific meaning is determined entirely by the context of the situation.

Coercion ("to make")

This usage implies that the doer has no choice. It is often used in situations involving authority, such as a parent-child or teacher-student relationship.

コーチは選手を毎日走らせた。
kōchi wa senshu o mainichi hashiraseta.kôti wa sensyu o mainiti hasiraseta.こおちはせんしゅをまいにちはしらせた.コーチハセンシュヲマイニチハシラセタ.
The coach made the players run every day.
上司は私に休日出勤をさせた。
jōshi wa watashi ni kyūjitsu shukkin o saseta.jôsi wa watasi ni kyûjitsu syukkin o saseta.じょうしはわたしにきゅうじつしゅっきんをさせた.ジョウシハワタシニキュウジツシュッキンヲサセタ.
My boss made me work on my day off.

Permission ("to let")

This usage implies that the causer is allowing the doer to do something they want to do.

親は子供に好きなだけゲームをさせてあげた。
oya wa kodomo ni suki na dake gēmu o sasete ageta.oya wa kodomo ni suki na dake gêmu o sasete ageta.おやはこどもにすきなだけげえむをさせてあげた.オヤハコドモニスキナダケゲームヲサセテアゲタ.
The parents let their child play video games as much as they wanted.
父は私に留学させてくれた。
chichi wa watashi ni ryūgaku sasete kureta.titi wa watasi ni ryûgaku sasete kureta.ちちはわたしにりゅうがくさせてくれた.チチハワタシニリュウガクサセテクレタ.
My father let me study abroad.

→ Using helping verbs like (te agerute ageruてあげるテアゲル) or (te kurerute kureruてくれるテクレル) after the causative verb often clarifies that it is an act of permission or kindness.

The Evocative Causative

A third, more subtle use of the causative is to express causing an emotion or an unintentional reaction in someone. It is not about direct force or permission, but about stimulating a feeling or response.

彼の話はみんなを笑わせた。
kare no hanashi wa minna o warawaseta.kare no hanasi wa minna o warawaseta.かれのはなしはみんなをわらわせた.カレノハナシハミンナヲワラワセタ.
His story made everyone laugh.
その映画は多くの人を泣かせた。
sono eiga wa ōku no hito o nakaseta.sono eiga wa ôku no hito o nakaseta.そのえいがはおおくのひとをなかせた.ソノエイガハオオクノヒトヲナカセタ.
That movie made many people cry.
心配させてごめんなさい。
shinpai sasete gomennasai.sinpai sasete gomennasai.しんぱいさせてごめんなさい.シンパイサセテゴメンナサイ.
I'm sorry for making you worry.

Shortened Causative Form

In casual, spoken Japanese, the causative form of godan verbs is often shortened. The (seruseruせるセル) ending is contracted to (susuすス). For example, (ikaseruikaseruいかせるイカセル) becomes (ikasuikasuいかすイカス). This form is considered non-standard and should be avoided in formal writing or speech.

彼を待たすのはやめよう。
kare o matasu no wa yameyō.kare o matasu no wa yameyô.かれをまたすのはやめよう.カレヲマタスノハヤメヨウ.
Let's stop making him wait. (Instead of 待たせる)
子供に好きなことをやらしてあげたい。
kodomo ni suki na koto o yarashite agetai.kodomo ni suki na koto o yarasite agetai.こどもにすきなことをやらしてあげたい.コドモニスキナコトヲヤラシテアゲタイ.
I want to let my child do what they love. (Instead of やらせて)

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