LEARN + JAPANESE / 65 of 186 JLPT N4
At Your Command させる
させる turns a verb causative, either making someone do something or letting them do it, depending on context. The person being caused to act takes に if the verb is transitive, sometimes を if intransitive, while the person giving the order or permission is the subject.
The manager had Roberts prepare the documents.
The manager sent Roberts to the bank.
Hint · 힌트
作る becomes 作らせる by swapping the final る-sound for あ-sound plus せる, exactly like the negative stem you already know, and る-verbs like 覚える become 覚えさせる by dropping る and adding させる directly.
Would you let me use the new computer?
Would it be alright if I went home early today?
Hint · 힌트
させてもらう flips the feel entirely, from an order to a request for permission, “let me do this.” Combined with もらえませんか, the polite request pattern you already know, it becomes one of the most natural ways to ask for permission in Japanese.
Roberts was made to prepare the documents (by the manager).
Hint · 힌트
させられる, the causative-passive, describes being forced into an action you didn’t choose, “made to do it.” It’s built by adding られる onto the causative form, させる plus られる, layering two forms you’ve now met separately into one.
Vocabulary
| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| section manager | |
| documents | |
| to make a phone call | |
| meeting room | |
| bank | |
| personal computer | |
| project team | |
| to join, enter | |
| video game | |
| parents | |
| to play | |
| comic book | |
| to drive | |
| permission | |
| to order, command | |
| to force | |
| to entrust | |
| to instruct | |
| freedom | |
| to obey, follow |
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