JapaneseSentence Structure, Verbs The causative form, or 使役形[shiekikei], is used to describe situations in which someone makes someone do something or lets someone do something. In other words, whether forcing or allowing, the subject “causes” an action or event to happen.
subjectcausative verb
John made AI write his essay.
Mary let her children play outside.
When a Japanese is used causatively, it gets a special ending, usually either せる[seru] or させる[saseru], depending on the verb group.
Japanese learners sometimes mix up the causative form with other forms of verbs and may feel uncertain when the need to use these forms. But have no fear, because we are going to figure out the basics of the Japanese causative together in this post!
We'll cover how to make and use the causative form of Japanese verbs, and the different meanings we can convey with causative sentences in Japanese. Having the basics down pat and practicing them, you’ll feel more confident using the causative form in everyday conversations. Let’s get started!
How to form a causative verb in Japanese?
The form of a Japanese causative verb depends on which verb group the base verb belongs to. Let’s look at the rules for each group!
Ru-verbs
For ru-verbs, drop the last る[ru] from the dictionary form and add させる[saseru].
| to make/let (someone) see |
| to make/let (someone) eat |
U-verbs
To make the causative form of a u-verb, drop the last [u] sound from the dictionary form and add [aseru] to the remaining verb .
| to make/let (someone) write |
Spelling tip:If you're worried about how to spell this, just remember to replace the final "u"-sound character of the dictionary form with the corresponding "a"-sound character, then add せる[seru]
Irregular verbs
The causative forms of our two main irregular verbs should just be memorized. Here they are:
| |
| to make/let (someone) come |
Spelling tip:The kanji 来 has different readings, depending on which form of the verb it's used in: the dictionary form 来る[kuru], the polite form 来ます[kimasu], and the plain negative form 来ない[konai]. The causative form has the same reading as the plain negative form. Make sure to memorize the correct reading for different verb forms!
You'll need to use these irregular causative forms for any verbs that are built from a noun + 来る[kuru] or する[suru]:
| to make/let (someone) show around |
| to make/let (someone) bring (person/animal) |
How to conjugate Japanese causative verbs?
Did you notice that causative verbs all end with せる[seru] regardless of the verb group? In fact, all causative verbs as ru-verbs.
Have a look at the conjugation of the causative verb 書かせる[kakaseru](to make (someone) write):
What are "short form" causative verbs?
There is an alternative set of conjugation rules for the causative verbs. Let’s call it the short form since it’s shorter than the regular causative verbs (at least in the plain form).
All the short-form causative verbs end with す[su] and conjugate as u-verbs. However, the short form version is old-fashioned expressions and less commonly used today. When used, it implies a little more direct intervention than the regular version.
For example, 食べさす[tabesasu] (a short form) is often used to mean “to feed (someone)” as in spoon-feeding a baby. 食べさせる[tabesaseru] (a long form), on the other hand, can be used to mean either “to feed (someone)” or “to let (someone) eat,” as in cooking a meal for a child so that they can eat it on their own.
How to construct causative sentences
To construct causative sentences, we need to identify the following three elements:
Action, expressed by the causative verb.
Actor, the actual doer of the action.
Causer, the person that makes or lets the actor do the action.
The causer will usually have authority or control over the actor in some way. The authority might from their age, familial relationship, or social role.
In a Japanese causative sentence, the causer is always the of a causative sentence and marked by either は[wa] or が[ga]. If the action is caused by the speaker, that causer is often omitted.
The particle that marks the actor, though, depends on the type of action taking place.
Causative of a transitive verb
When you use a in a causative sentence, the actor is marked with the particle に[ni], and the is marked with the particle を[o], as usual. A transitive verb is an action that is done to something, like "hitting," "reading," or "watching."
母親が子供に本を読ませた。
Hahaoya ga kodomo ni hon o yomaseta.
The mother made the child read a book.
Check out our post on transitive vs. intransitive verbs in Japanese to learn more about transitive actions.
Causative of an intransitive verb
When you use an verb in a causative sentence, the actor will sometimes be marked by the particle を[o] and other times by the particle に[ni]. Here are some rules to follow to figure out which particle is most appropriate:
Movement verbs: に[ni]
If the verb is a movement verb, and the particle を[o] is used to mark an area that the actor is traveling through, you'll mark the actor with に[ni], as a way to distinguish the two.
先生は園児たちに歩道を歩かせた。
Sensei wa enjitachi ni hodō o arukaseta.
The teacher made the kindergarteners walk on the sidewalk.
Verbs for natural phenomena: を[o]
When something allows or causes a natural phenomenon to take place, the actor is always marked by を[o].
お隣からもらった刺身を腐らせた。
Otonari kara moratta sashimi o kusaraseta.
I let the sashimi my neighbor gave me go bad.
Some verbs that might be used in this kind of sentence might include 咲く[saku](to bloom), 降る[furu](to fall (rain)), and 腐[kusaru](to rot).
Verbs for passing feelings: を[o]
When something causes someone to experience a passing feeling, the actor (or the person experiencing the feelings) is marked by を[o].
そのニュースは国民を驚かせた。
Sono nyūsu wa kokumin o odorokaseta.
The news surprised the people.
Some verbs you might use in a sentence like this might be 驚く[odoroku](to be surprised), がっかりする[gakkari suru](to be disappointed), and 怒る[okoru](to get mad).
The actor has no will of its own: を[o]
If the actor is a machine or a tool that has no will of its own, it should be marked byを[o]
JRが臨時列車を走らせた。
Jeiāru ga rinji ressha o hashiraseta.
Japan Railroad made the special train run.
Forcing: を[o]
If the actor is forced to do something, either against their will or without consideration of what they would prefer to do, that actor is usually marked by を[o].
ジョンはいやがる子供を学校に行かせた。
John wa iyagaru kodomo o gakkō ni ikaseta.
John made the reluctant child go to school.
Allowing: に[ni]
In a causative sentence where the actor's desires are taken into account, as when someone is allowed to do something, the actor is usually marked with に[ni].
両親は約束どおり娘に留学させた。
Ryōshin wa yakusokudōri musume ni ryūgakusaseta.
The parents let their daughter go abroad to study as they promised.
In the list above, rules 1-3 will always "win" over rules 4-6. Can you tell which of the two Japanese sentences below is correct to say “John made the reluctant child walk on the sidewalk”?
ジョンはいやがる子供に歩道を歩かせた。
Jon wa iyagaru kodomo ni hodō o arukaseta.
ジョンはいやがる子供を歩道を歩かせた。
Jon wa iyagaru kodomo o hodō o arukaseta.
The correct answer is… A! Though the actor’s will is not respected, we should not mark it with を because the sentence has another を that marks the place where the actor goes through, 歩道を[hodō o](on the sidewalk).
Verbs that cannot be used in causative sentences
There are some restrictions on what verbs we can use in causative sentences. Let’s find out what they are!
Verbs that express a state or condition rather than an action
A causative sentence describes a situation in which someone makes or lets another person DO something. Verbs that express a state or condition, like ある[aru](to exist), 要る[iru](to need), or できる[dekiru](to be able to do) can’t be used in causative sentences, because they don't involve action. You can't cause someone to be a certain way.
Intransitive verbs that have corresponding transitive verbs
In Japanese, some intransitive verbs have corresponding transitive verbs, with a related meaning and form. For example, 壊れる[kowareru](to break) corresponds with 壊す[kowasu](to break something).
If you find yourself tempted to use the causative form of an intransitive verb that is part of one of these pairs, stop! You should always just use the transitive form instead! That already has the meaning you're going for.
Let’s see a couple of examples:
Let's say you want to say that someone "made something break." You might be tempted to take the intransitive verb 壊れる[kowareru](to break) and make it causative. However, you can achieve the meaning you want without needing to use a causative verb at all. Just use a transitive: 壊す[kowasu](to break something)
ジョンが時計を壊した。
Jon ga tokei o kowashita.
→ he caused the clock to break
Let's say you want to say that someone "caused the door to close." You might be tempted to take the intransitive verb 閉まる[shimaru](to close) and make it causative. But you can actually achieve the meaning you want by using the transitive verb 閉める[shimeru](to close something) instead.
メアリーがドアを閉めた。
Mearii ga doa o shimeta.
→ she caused the door to close
When to use the causative form in Japanese?
The causative form is used in a range of different situations where someone makes or allows something else to happen. Let's look at some different situations!
"Make" or "force": the coercive causative
The coercive causative is when some causer uses their power to make or force the actor to do something.
This can be something that the actor does against their will:
父親は幼いモーツァルトに朝から晩までピアノを練習させた。
Chichioya wa osanai Mōtsaruto ni asa kara ban made piano o renshū saseta.
The father forced young Mozart to practice piano from morning till night.
→ Mozart did not have a choice, he did it against his will.
Or it can be a case where the causer simply does not consider what the actor wants:
先生は園児たちに歩道を歩かせた。
Sensei wa enjitachi ni hodō o arukaseta.
The teacher made the kindergarteners walk on the sidewalk.
→ Maybe the kids were happy to walk on the sidewalk, but they did not have a choice.
"Let" or "allow": the permissive causative
The permissive causative, on the other hand, is when the causer lets or allows someone to do something or allows something to happen.
This can mean that the causer gives the actor explicit permission to do something. In this case, the causer has authority, and uses it to tell the actor "yes."
(私は) 週末は子供たちに好きなだけゲームをさせています。
(Watashi wa) shūmatsu wa kodomotachi ni sukina dake gēmu o sasete imasu.
During the weekend, I let my children play games as much as they want.
→ I told my children, "you may play games as much as you want" and then they did.
This can also mean that the causer did not prevent the actor from acting, even though they might have.
あの家の親は子供に好き勝手なことをさせている。
Ano uchi no oya wa kodomo ni sukikattena koto o sasete iru.
The parents in that household let their children do as they please.
→ The parents never pay any attention to the children so they have no idea what they're doing.
Or it can mean that the causer did not prevent something from happening all on its own.
お隣からもらった刺身を腐らせた。
Otonari kara moratta sashimi o kusaraseta.
I let the sashimi my neighbor gave me go bad.
→ I could have put it in the fridge, but I did not.
When the causative form is used to indicate permission, it’s often used along with the “doing/receiving a favor” expressions such as 〜てやる[te yaru], 〜てあげる[te ageru], 〜てくれる[te kureru] to clarify that the causer is “letting,” not “forcing,” the actor to do something:
causative"doing/receiving a favor" expression
さつきはメイに絵を描かせてあげた。
Satsuki wa Mei ni e o kakasete ageta.
Satsuki (kindly) let Mei draw pictures.
母は私にテニスを習わせてくれた。
Haha wa watashi ni tenisu o narawasete kureta.
My mother (kindly) let me take tennis lessons.
Note that these expressions are only used when the action is considered beneficial to the actor. To learn more about these expressions, check out our post on how to describe doing & receiving favors in Japanese.
"Cause": The responsibility causative
Finally, the causer can be responsible for an action taking place without actually intending for it to happen.
Sometimes the causer does something to trigger the action. This is common when someone does something that causes someone else to react with a feeling or expression of emotion.
弟はおどけて、みんなを笑わせた。
Otōto wa odokete, min’na o warawaseta.
My younger brother fooled around and made us all laugh.
Other times, the causer feels responsible for an accident that might have been prevented.
(僕は) 練習中に、佐藤君にけがをさせた。
(Boku wa) renshūchū ni, Satō kun ni kega o saseta.
I caused an injury to Sato during our practice.
When the causer feels regret or remorse for what they have done, the causative verb often takes the “te-form + しまう[shimau]” structure.
te-formしまう [shimau]
(僕は) 練習中に、佐藤君にけがをさせてしまった。
(Boku wa) renshūchū ni, Satō kun ni kega o sasete shimatta.
I regrettably caused an injury to Sato during our practice.
Because the causer isn't intentionally causing the action, in sentences like these the causer doesn't need to have authority over the actor.
（私は）先生を怒らせた。
(Watashi wa) sensei o okoraseta.
（私は）部長にけがをさせてしまった。
(Watashi wa) buchō ni kega o sasete shimatta.
I regrettably caused an injury to the head of the department.
Requesting a favor: Should I use a causative?
When you request a favor or a service from someone, it is generally best to not use a causative. However, figuring out exactly how you should describe these situations can be a little tricky. Let's have a look at some example scenarios!
Asking your sister for help
Your art project is due tomorrow. You haven’t even started it! In panic, you ask your younger sister to help you. She kindly obliges, and you feel grateful.
Technically you could describe this situation using a causative sentence since, as an older sibling, you have enough authority to tell her what to do. However, describing it this way doesn't sound very gracious:
❓ (僕は) 妹に宿題を手伝わせた。
(Boku wa) imōtoi ni shukudai o tetsudawaseta.
I made my younger sister help with my homework.
→ This sounds ungrateful. It might be okay if your younger sister destroyed your project, so you made her help you rebuild it. But if she did it as a favor, it sounds too much like you ordered her around.
Because your younger sister did it as a favor, it's more polite to avoid the causative, and instead use one of the "doing a favor" expressions: te-form + もらう[morau].
te-formもらう [morau]
✅ (僕は) 妹に宿題を手伝ってもらった。
(Boku wa) imōto ni shukudai o tetsudatte moratta.
My younger sister kindly helped me with my homework.
→ This sentence structure expresses your gratitude, and acknowledges that she didn't have to help you, she chose to help you.
Asking for a letter of recommendation
You want to go to graduate school to continue studying Japanese in depth. You ask Professor Tanaka to write a letter of recommendation for you.
In this case, you cannot use a causative verb. Professor Tanaka is your superior, so you can't make her do anything.
❌ (私は) 田中先生に推薦状を書かせた。
(Watashi wa) Tanaka sensei ni suisenjō o kakaseta.
I made Professor Tanaka write a letter of recommendation for me.
→ You cannot make your superior write you a letter. To imply that you can sounds rude!
Instead, we use another one of our "doing a favor" expressions: te-form + いただく[itadaku]. This structure sounds a bit more humble, since Professor Tanaka is a person of importance.
te-formいただく [itadaku]
✅ (私は) 田中先生に推薦状を書いていただいた。
(Watashi wa) Tanaka sensei ni suisenjō o kaite itadaita.
I asked Professor Tanaka to write a letter of recommendation for me and he obliged.
Delegating to a superior
You work at the customer service counter at a supermarket. A customer comes over and complains that there is a huge mess on the floor of Aisle 5 and they can’t shop there. Your supervisor happens to be the only person available to do the job. You ask them to do it and then reassure the irate customer that the problem will be taken care of.
Your supervisor is your superior, so ordinarily you would not be able to say that you "made" them clean up the mess using a causative. However, if you're talking to the customer using the causative is just fine. This is because the customer, and their needs, are considered superior to everyone at the store, including your boss!
causative
✅ 係の者に片付けさせますので、しばらくお待ちください。
Kakari no mono ni katazukesasemasu node, shibaraku omachikudasai.
I’ll make the person in charge clean it up, so please wait a while.
→ Ordinarily you couldn't "make" your boss do anything, but in this case, the customer gives you additional authority.
In general, when talking to someone outside one’s organization (e.g., customers, members of other organizations), the speaker can use the causative form to describe the action of their superior within their organization.
Asking for a day off
You wake up in the morning with a bad headache. You call your boss and ask permission for a day off.
As an English speaker, you might be tempted to ask using a sentence like the one below, since this would be a fine way to ask in English. However, in Japanese, this is not polite enough.
❓ すみません、頭痛がひどいので、今日は休んでもいいですか。
Sumimasen, zutsū ga hidoi node, kyō wa yasunde mo ii desu ka.
I’m sorry, I am having a bad headache. Is it OK to take a day-off today?
→ This doesn't acknowledge your boss's authority to tell you "no," and it doesn't acknowledge that the day off is a favor to you.
In Japanese, you need to request (as a favor) that your boss give you permission to take the day off. This means you'll need to use a causative verb and use it in a "requesting a favor" expression like te-form + いただけませんか[idakemasen ka](Could you please...?)
causative verb (te-form)いただけませんか [idakemasen ka]
✅ すみません、頭痛がひどいので、今日は休ませていただけませんか。
Sumimasen, zutsū ga hidoi node, kyō wa yasumasete itadakemasen ka.
I’m sorry, I am having a bad headache. Could you please let me rest today?
To sum up
In this post, we've introduced you to Japanese causative verbs: when to use them, how to form them, and how to use them in sentences. Here's a quick review:
Here’s a quick review:
General meaning | Someone makes/lets another person do something |
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Verb ending | |
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Verb examples | U-verb: 書かせる[kakaseru](to make/let someone write) Ru-verb: 食べさせる[tabesaseru](to make/let someone eat) Irregulars: 来させる[kosaseru](to make/let someone come), させる[saseru](to make/let someone do) |
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Key elements | Action, causer, actor (the causer is generally superior to the actor) |
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Structure | Transitive verb: X (causer) が/は Y (actor) に Z (object) を V させる Intransitive verb: X (causer) が/は Y (actor) に Z (object) を/に V させる |
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Implication | Coercive or non-coercive (permission, neglect, trigger, responsibility) |
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Restrictions & alternatives | When the intransitive verb has the transitive version, we can’t use the causative; use the transitive sentence When expressing permission, we can also use the causative te-form + あげる / くれる When expressing gratitude or addressing one’s superior, we can’t use the causative; use the te-form + もらう / くれる instead
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As always we have created some activities for you to practice. Also, check out our “How to make and use the causative passive form in Japanese” to explore the topic of the causative one step further. Happy learning!
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