Causative Formation

Causative Formation

Causative verbs (使役形 - shieki-kei) express making or letting someone do something. The formation follows regular patterns based on verb groups.

Basic meaning:
"Make someone do"
"Let someone do"

Formation adds: せる/させる
Context determines "make" vs "let"

る-Verbs (Group 2)

Drop る, add させる

食べる → 食べさせる
"eat" → "make/let eat"

見る → 見させる
"watch" → "make/let watch"

寝る → 寝させる
"sleep" → "make/let sleep"

起きる → 起きさせる
"wake up" → "make/let wake up"

教える → 教えさせる
"teach" → "make/let teach"

Simple pattern
Drop final る
Add させる

う-Verbs (Group 1)

Change to あ-stem, add せる

書く → 書かせる (kaku → kakaseru)
"write" → "make/let write"

読む → 読ませる (yomu → yomaseru)
"read" → "make/let read"

話す → 話させる (hanasu → hanasaseru)
"speak" → "make/let speak"

待つ → 待たせる (matsu → mataseru)
"wait" → "make/let wait"

行く → 行かせる (iku → ikaseru)
"go" → "make/let go"

飲む → 飲ませる (nomu → nomaseru)
"drink" → "make/let drink"

泳ぐ → 泳がせる (oyogu → oyogaseru)
"swim" → "make/let swim"

Change to あ-form
Add せる

Irregular Verbs

Special forms

する → させる
"do" → "make/let do"

勉強する → 勉強させる
"study" → "make/let study"

来る → 来させる (こさせる)
"come" → "make/let come"

Only two irregular
Learn these separately

Conjugation Type

Causative = る-verb

All causatives conjugate as る-verbs:

食べさせる (ru-verb pattern):
Present: 食べさせる
Past: 食べさせた
Negative: 食べさせない
Te-form: 食べさせて

行かせる (also ru-verb):
Present: 行かせる
Past: 行かせた
Negative: 行かせない
Te-form: 行かせて

Regardless of original verb type
All causatives become ru-verbs
Consistent conjugation

Formation Summary Table

All patterns

る-verbs:
食べる → 食べさせる
見る → 見させる

う-verbs:
書く → 書かせる
読む → 読ませる
話す → 話させる
待つ → 待たせる
死ぬ → 死なせる
遊ぶ → 遊ばせる
飲む → 飲ませる
帰る → 帰らせる
泳ぐ → 泳がせる
買う → 買わせる

Irregular:
する → させる
来る → 来させる

Memorize patterns
Practice formation

Common Formation Mistakes

Errors to avoid

❌ Wrong stem
✗ 食べるさせる (keeping る)

✓ Correct
✓ 食べさせる

❌ Wrong ending for う-verbs
✗ 書きせる

✓ Correct あ-stem
✓ 書かせる

❌ Irregular confusion
✗ するさせる

✓ Correct irregular
✓ させる

Practice prevents errors
Know your verb groups

Recognition Pattern

Spotting causatives

If you see:
〜させる ending
〜せる ending

Likely causative form
Check verb stem
Identify meaning

食べさせる → causative of 食べる
行かせる → causative of 行く

Multiple Meanings

Context determines

Same form, different meanings:

子供を遊ばせる
"Make child play" (permission)
OR
"Let child play" (permission)

親が子供を勉強させる
"Parent makes child study" (force)

Context shows which
Both use same form
Natural interpretation

Potential Confusion

させる vs させられる

させる = causative
"make/let someone do"

させられる = causative-passive
"be made to do"

食べさせる "make (someone) eat"
食べさせられる "be made to eat"

Different meanings
Don't confuse
Extra られる = passive

With Different Verbs

Transitive vs intransitive

Intransitive base:
行く → 行かせる "make/let go"
泣く → 泣かせる "make cry"
笑う → 笑わせる "make laugh"

Transitive base:
食べる → 食べさせる "make/let eat"
読む → 読ませる "make/let read"
書く → 書かせる "make/let write"

Both types form causatives
Pattern stays same

Honorific Confusion

Different from させていただく

Causative: させる
"make/let do"

Humble request: させていただく
"humbly do / be allowed to do"

勉強させる "make (someone) study"
勉強させていただく "humbly study / be allowed to study"

Different functions
Different meanings
Don't mix up

Formality

Neutral formation

Causative form itself neutral:

Casual: 食べさせた
Polite: 食べさせました
Formal: 食べさせました

Formality from conjugation
Not from causative itself
Adjust ending as needed

Length Consideration

Long forms

Causative adds length:

食べる (3 mora) → 食べさせる (5 mora)
見る (2 mora) → 見させる (4 mora)

Longer forms
Can sound heavy
Natural in context

Practice Conjugation

Drill examples

Convert to causative:

飲む → 飲ませる
書く → 書かせる
来る → 来させる
する → させる
食べる → 食べさせる
見る → 見させる
行く → 行かせる
帰る → 帰らせる
寝る → 寝させる
起きる → 起きさせる

Regular practice
Builds automaticity
Master patterns

Special Readings

Pronunciation notes

Some require attention:

話す → 話させる (hanasaseru)
Three さ sounds

待つ → 待たせる (mataseru)
Not "machiseru"

死ぬ → 死なせる (shinaseru)
な appears

Learn correct readings
Practice pronunciation

In Context

Seeing causatives used

親が子供に野菜を食べさせる
"Parent makes child eat vegetables"

先生が生徒に本を読ませる
"Teacher has students read book"

子供を公園で遊ばせる
"Let child play in park"

Natural usage
Common patterns
Real examples

Building Complexity

Causative as foundation

Once you know causative formation:

Can add passive: させられる
Can add てもらう: させてもらう
Can add てください: させてください

Foundation for advanced forms
Master formation first
Expand from there

Common Mistakes

❌ Using wrong group pattern
✗ 食べるせる

✓ Know verb groups
✓ 食べさせる

❌ Forgetting irregular forms
✗ 来るさせる

✓ Memorize exceptions
✓ 来させる

❌ Wrong conjugation of causative
✗ 食べさせます (should be 食べさせます is correct, but thinking it conjugates as う-verb)

✓ All causatives are る-verbs
✓ 食べさせます

Formation is mechanical
Follow patterns exactly
Practice makes perfect

Practical Examples

Formation practice

Base → Causative:

歩く → 歩かせる "make/let walk"
立つ → 立たせる "make/let stand"
座る → 座らせる "make/let sit"
泣く → 泣かせる "make cry"
笑う → 笑わせる "make laugh"
休む → 休ませる "make/let rest"
働く → 働かせる "make/let work"
遊ぶ → 遊ばせる "make/let play"

Daily verbs
Common causatives
Practice these
Master formation
Natural usage follows