Causative
The causative forms are characterized by the final u becoming aseru for consonant stem verbs, and ru becoming saseru for vowel stem verbs.
| Type | Causative | Examples | Causative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Irregular verbs | |||
| する suru (do) | させる saseru | 勘弁する kanben suru (forgive) | 勘弁させる kanben saseru |
| 来る kuru (come) | 来させる kosaseru | ||
| Regular consonant stem (v5) verbs | |||
| -う -u | -わせる -waseru | 使う tsukau (use) | 使わせる tsukawaseru |
| -く -ku | -かせる -kaseru | 焼く yaku (grill) | 焼かせる yakaseru |
| -ぐ -gu | -がせる -gaseru | 泳ぐ oyogu (swim) | 泳がせる oyogaseru |
| -す -su | -させる -saseru | 示す shimesu (show) | 示させる shimesaseru |
| -つ -tsu | -たせる -taseru | 待つ matsu (wait) | 待たせる mataseru |
| -ぬ -nu | -なせる -naseru | 死ぬ shinu (die) | 死なせる shinaseru |
| -ぶ -bu | -ばせる -baseru | 呼ぶ yobu (call) | 呼ばせる yobaseru |
| -む -mu | -ませる -maseru | 読む yomu (read) | 読ませる yomaseru |
| -る -ru | -らせる -raseru | 走る hashiru (run) | 走らせる hashiraseru |
| Regular vowel stem (v1) verbs | |||
| -る -ru | -させる -saseru | 見る miru 食べる taberu |
見させる misaseru 食べさせる tabesaseru |
- The -ru ending of the causative form becomes the new verb ending. This conjugates as a vowel stem verb.
- Negatives are not normally made into causatives. Instead, a negative ending is added to the causative of the verb. Thus, for example, Tabesasenai: "Do not let eat".
- Adjectives are made causative by using the adverb form plus saseru.
- A shortened causative form exists where the final -u becoming -asu for consonant stem verbs, and -ru becoming -sasu for vowel stem verbs.
Usage
The causative is used for:
- Making someone do something: 宿題をさせる shukudai o saseru: "(I) make (him) do homework".
- Letting someone do something: 外で遊ばせる soto de asobaseru: "(I) let (him) play outside".
- With explicit actors: 先生が子供に勉強をさせた sensei ga kodomo ni benkyō o saseta: "The teacher made the children study."
- The honorific forms させて貰う sasete morau or させて頂く sasete itadaku using the verbs 貰う morau or its humble equivalent 頂く itadaku.
Read more about this topic: Japanese Verb Conjugation