Making Someone Do Something: The Causative
Intermediate
Making Someone Do Something: The Causative
The causative form in Japanese is used when you want to express that someone causes or allows another person to perform an action. It's a crucial grammar point for expressing a variety of relationships and situations, ranging from commands and forced actions to permission and opportunities. This pattern appears frequently in intermediate to advanced conversations.
Understanding the Nuances: More Than Just "Make" and "Let"
It's important to remember that the causative isn't always a direct translation of "make" or "let." The specific meaning depends heavily on context. Consider these possible interpretations:
- Forcing/Ordering: The subject makes the object do something against their will, or gives an order.
- Allowing/Permitting: The subject lets the object do something.
- Giving the Opportunity: The subject allows the situation for something to happen. This is often the most subtle nuance.
How to Form the Causative
The causative form is derived differently depending on the verb type (Ru-verb, U-verb, or Irregular).
For Ru-verbs (Ichidan verbs)
Remove the final る (ru) and add させる (saseru). The resulting verb acts like another Ru-verb!
| Verb (Dictionary) | Causative Form | Romaji | English Translation | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 食べる (taberu) | 食べさせる | tabesaseru | to make/let eat | 親は子供に野菜を食べさせます。(Oya wa kodomo ni yasai o tabesasemasu.) - Parents make their children eat vegetables. |
| 見る (miru) | 見させる | misaseru | to make/let see | 映画を見させてもらいました。(Eiga o misasete moraimashita.) - I was allowed to see a movie (by someone). |
| 降りる (oriru) | 降ろさせる | orosaseru | to make/let get off | バスを降ろさせてください。(Basu o orosasete kudasai.) - Please let me get off the bus. |
| 信じる (shinjiru) | 信じさせる | shinjisaseru | to make/let believe | 嘘を信じさせた。(Uso o shinjisaseta.) - I made him/her believe a lie. |
For U-verbs (Godan verbs)
Change the final う-sound to the corresponding あ-sound and add せる (seru). Be careful with verbs ending in う, つ, る, and す, as their あ sound might be written differently. The resulting verb acts like another Ru-verb!
| Verb (Dictionary) | Causative Form | Romaji | English Translation | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 書く (kaku) | 書かせる | kakaseru | to make/let write | 子供に日記を書かせます。(Kodomo ni nikki o kakasemasu.) - I make my child write a diary. |
| 飲む (nomu) | 飲ませる | nomaseru | to make/let drink | 赤ちゃんにミルクを飲ませます。(Akachan ni miruku o nomasemasu.) - I make/let the baby drink milk. |
| 話す (hanasu) | 話させる | hanasaseru | to make/let speak | 先生は生徒に英語で話させます。(Sensei wa seito ni eigo de hanasemasu.) - The teacher makes the students speak in English. |
| 歌う (utau) | 歌わせる | utawaseru | to make/let sing | 子供に歌を歌わせました。(Kodomo ni uta o utawasemashita.) - I made my child sing a song. |
| 待つ (matsu) | 待たせる | mataseru | to make/let wait | 客を待たせてしまった。(Kyaku o matasete shimatta.) - I ended up making the customer wait. |
| 取る (toru) | 取らせる | toraseru | to make/let take | 自由に取らせてください。(Jiyuu ni torasete kudasai.) - Please let me take it freely. |
| 貸す (kasu) | 貸させる | kasaseru | to make/let lend | 友達に金を貸させられた。(Tomodachi ni okane o kasaserareta.) - I was forced to lend money to my friend. |
For Irregular Verbs
| Verb (Dictionary) | Causative Form | Romaji | English Translation | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| する (suru) | させる | saseru | to make/let do | 子供に掃除をさせます。(Kodomo ni souji o sasemasu.) - I make my child clean. |
| 来る (kuru) | 来させる | kosaseru | to make/let come | 彼をパーティーに来させます。(Kare o paatii ni kosasemasu.) - I will make him come to the party. |
Example Sentences: Diving Deeper
| Japanese | Romaji | English Translation | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 先生は学生に宿題をさせました。 | Sensei wa gakusei ni shukudai o sasemashita. | The teacher made the students do homework. | The teacher ordered or forced the students to do homework. |
| 母は私に野菜を食べさせた。 | Haha wa watashi ni yasai o tabesaseta. | My mother made me eat vegetables. | The mother forced the speaker to eat vegetables. |
| 彼は子供を早く寝かせます。 | Kare wa kodomo o hayaku nesasemasu. | He makes his child go to bed early. | He forces or has a routine of making his child go to bed early. |
| 私は弟にゲームをさせました。 | Watashi wa otouto ni geemu o sasemashita. | I let my younger brother play games. | I allowed my younger brother to play games. |
| 娘にピアノを習わせています。 | Musume ni piano o narawasete imasu. | I am letting my daughter learn piano. | I am giving my daughter the opportunity to learn piano. It implies support and allowance. |
| 犯人に真実を話させた。 | Hannin ni shinjitsu o hanasaseta. | I made the criminal tell the truth. | The police forced the criminal to tell the truth. |
| (会社の社長が)社員に責任を取らせた。 | (Kaisha no shachou ga) shain ni sekinin o toraseta. | (The company president) made the employees take responsibility. | The president forced the employees to take responsibility. Suggests a situation of blame and demanding accountability. |
| 車を運転させてください。 | Kuruma o unten sasete kudasai. | Please let me drive the car. | A polite request to be allowed to drive. |
| 一人で考えさせてください。 | Hitori de kangae sasete kudasai. | Please let me think alone. | A polite request to be allowed to think by oneself. |
The Particle 'に' vs. 'を' with the Causative
This is a key point that distinguishes the causative from other transitive verb constructions.
- に (ni): This particle marks the person being made to do something. The focus is on the person and their obligation or action. This is the most common particle used.
- を (o): While less common, 'を' can be used in specific contexts to emphasize the action itself, particularly when the action is being directly affected or is a process being completed. This implies a stronger influence on the outcome of the action.
General Rule: Use に unless you have a very specific reason to emphasize the action itself and its completion.
Example using 'に' (Focus on the person):
- 私は子供に宿題をさせます。(Watashi wa kodomo ni shukudai o sasemasu.) - I make my child do homework. (Focus is on the child's obligation.)
Example using 'を' (Emphasis on the action - RARE, use with caution):
- 私は子供に宿題を完成させた。(Watashi wa kodomo ni shukudai o kansei saseta.) - I made my child complete the homework. (Focus is on the completion of the homework). This sounds rather forceful and potentially unnatural unless in a specific dramatic context. More natural would be: 私は子供に宿題を最後までさせました. (Watashi wa kodomo ni shukudai o saigo made sasemashita.) - I made my child do the homework until the end.
Important Note: The use of 'を' can subtly change the meaning and sometimes sound unnatural. It's better to stick with 'に' unless you're very comfortable with the nuances.
Causative-Passive Form (させられる - saserareru): Adding Another Layer
Just like regular verbs, the causative form can also be put into the passive voice. This form (～させられる - saserareru) indicates that someone is made to do something against their will. It expresses a feeling of being forced or compelled. This builds on the previous lesson regarding the passive voice.
To form the causative-passive:
- Take the causative form of the verb.
- Treat it as a Ru-verb and apply the passive conjugation rules (i.e., remove る and add られる).
Example:
- させる (saseru) -> させられる (saserareru) - to be made to do
- 食べさせる (tabesaseru) -> 食べさせられる (tabesaserareru) - to be made to eat
- 書かせる (kakaseru) -> 書かせられる (kakaserareru) - to be made to write
Example Sentences using Causative-Passive:
| Japanese | Romaji | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 私は上司に飲み会に参加させられました。 | Watashi wa joushi ni nomikai ni sanka saseraremashita. | I was made to participate in the drinking party by my boss (against my will). |
| 子供の頃、母に嫌いな野菜を食べさせられました。 | Kodomo no koro, haha ni kirai na yasai o tabesasaremashta. | When I was a child, I was made to eat vegetables I hated by my mother. |
| 彼は会社で残業させられています。 | Kare wa kaisha de zangyou saserarete imasu. | He is being made to work overtime at the company (against his will). |
| 弟はいつも姉にゲームをさせられています。 | Otouto wa itsumo ane ni geemu o saserarete imasu. | The younger brother is always being made to play games by his older sister (possibly unwillingly). |
| そんなことは言わせられたくなかった。 | Sonna koto wa iwaseraretakunakatta. | I didn't want to be made to say such a thing. |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Confusing the Causative with the Potential Form: The potential form (e.g., 食べられる - taberareru - can eat) sounds similar but has a completely different meaning. Context is crucial.
- Incorrect Particle Usage: As mentioned above, sticking to 'に' is generally the safest bet unless you have a strong reason to use 'を'.
- Literal Translation: Don't always directly translate "make" or "let." Consider the nuance of forcing, allowing, or providing an opportunity.
Practice Exercises: Test Your Understanding!
Exercise 1: Conjugate the following verbs into their causative form. Then, provide a sentence using that causative form.
- 泳ぐ (oyogu - to swim)
- 読む (yomu - to read)
- 起きる (okiru - to wake up)
- 運転する (unten suru - to drive)
- 死ぬ (shinu - to die)
Answer to Exercise 1
- 泳がせる (oyogaseru) - to make/let swim. 例: 私は犬を川で泳がせます。(Watashi wa inu o kawa de oyogamasu.) - I let my dog swim in the river.
- 読ませる (yomaseru) - to make/let read. 例: 先生は生徒に本を読ませます。(Sensei wa seito ni hon o yomasemasu.) - The teacher makes the students read books.
- 起こさせる (okosasu) - to make/let wake up. 例: 私は毎日子供を７時に起こさせます。(Watashi wa mainichi kodomo o shichi-ji ni okosasemasu.) - I make my child wake up at 7 every day.
- 運転させる (unten saseru) - to make/let drive. 例: まだ子供が小さいので、運転させません。(Mada kodomo ga chiisai node, unten sasemasen.) - Since my child is still small, I won't let him/her drive.
- 死なせる (shinaseru) - to cause death; to allow to die (very strong, be careful with this one). 例: 戦争は多くの人を死なせる。(Sensou wa ooku no hito o shinaseru.) - War causes many people to die. (It's more natural to say that "war causes many people to die", however the strict causative form can be used.)
Exercise 2: Translate the following sentences into Japanese using the causative form.
- My boss made me write a report.
- I let my friend use my car.
- The doctor made the patient take medicine.
- Please let me go home early today.
- The loud music kept the baby from sleeping. (Hint: Use 眠る - nemuru - to sleep)
Answer to Exercise 2
- 上司は私にレポートを書かせました。(Joushi wa watashi ni repooto o kakasemashita.)
- 私は友達に車を使わせました。(Watashi wa tomodachi ni kuruma o tsukawasemashita.)
- 医者は患者に薬を飲ませました。(Isha wa kanja ni kusuri o nomasemashita.)
- 今日は早く帰らせてください。(Kyou wa hayaku kaerasete kudasai.)
- うるさい音楽は赤ちゃんを眠らせなかった。(Urusai ongaku wa akachan o nemurasenakatta.)