Japanese Grammar: Proper Particles with the Causative Form

This article is part of Wasabi grammatical support service. We’re more than delighted to answer any grammatical questions you may have without additional fee (*Wasabi user only). Today’s topic is how to use particles with the causative form.

Japanese Grammar: When It’s Appropriate to Use に and を with the Causative Form

Basic Idea of the Causative Form

Japanese causative form is equivalent to “to let/make someone do something” in English. However, unlike causative verbs in English such as “to let” and “to make,” Japanese doesn’t have any causative verbs, but expresses “to let” or “to make” by conjugating a verb into the same causative form.

U-verbs	Remove the last character and attach “aseru” like 読む (yomu) ⇒ 読ませる (yomaseru)
Ru-verb	Replace the last る with させる like 食べる (taberu) ⇒ 食べさせる (tabesaseru)
Exceptions	する becomes させる and 来くる becomes 来こさせる

1 先生せんせいは生せい徒とを立たたせた。	The teacher made the students stand up.
2 先生せんせいは生せい徒とに座すわらせた。	The teacher let the students sit down.
3 先生せんせいは生せい徒とを泣なかせた。	The teacher made the students cry.
4 先生せんせいは生せい徒とに日に本ほん語ごを勉べん強きょうさせた。	The teacher let/made the students learn Japanese.

The context basically tells whether it means “to let” or “to make.” However, if you attach 「あげる」 or 「くれる (ください)」, it’s likely to become “to let” such as 「先生せんせいは生せい徒とに日に本ほん語ごを勉べん強きょうさせてあげた (The teacher let the students learn Japanese)」. Now, you may have noticed that both particles; を and に are used differently. In some cases, を and に are interchangeable. In other cases, however, the selection of particles can make a sentence meaningless. Therefore, in this article you will learn the proper use of particles in detail.

Essential Rule of the Causative Form

With a Transitive Verb, Action Takers Are Always with に

1 私わたしに（それを）決きめさせて。	Let me decide (it).
2 私わたしに（それを）説明せつめいさせて。	Let me explain (it).
3 先生せんせいが（生せい徒とに）教きょう室しつを掃そう除じさせた。	The teacher made (students) clean the classroom.
4 先生せんせいが（生せい徒とに）宿しゅく題だいをさせた。	The teacher made (students) do the homework.

Please don’t be confused with Japanese unique omissions. The (object) and the (action taker) are sometimes omitted in spoken Japanese. In sentences 1 and 2, the subject and the action taker are the same. In sentences 3 and 4, they are different. In either case, the action tacker should be with に and the objective should be with を.

With Emotional Actions, Action Takers Are Always with を

1 生せい徒とは先生せんせいを怒おこらせた。	The student made the teacher angry
2 生せい徒とは先生せんせいを驚おどろかせた。	The student made the teacher be surprised.
3 姉あねが弟おとうとを泣なかせた。	The elder sister made the younger brother cry.
4 弟おとうとが姉あねを笑わらわせた。	The younger brother made the elder sister laugh.

This is very simple. When someone causes something emotional, を is always used with action takers.

If Action Takers Are Non-animated, It Should Be with を

1 政せい府ふは物ぶっ価かを安あん定ていさせた。	The government made the prices be stable.
2 台風たいふうが強つよい風かぜを吹ふかせる。	Typhoon makes wind blow hard.

This also sounds simple, however, if non-animate existences (inanimate objects) are regarded as people or as something that has free will, に should be used like this 「ロボットに宿しゅく題だいをさせた (I made the robot do homework)」 and 「グーグルに調しらべさせた (I made Google search (it)」.

Advanced Rule of the Causative Form

With an Intransitive Verb, Action Takers Can Be with に and を

1 先生せんせいは生せい徒とに / を帰かえらせた。	The teacher let/made the students go back.
2 先生せんせいは生せい徒とに / を歩あるかせた。	The teacher let/made the students walk.
3 先生せんせいは生せい徒とに / を休やすませた。	The teacher let/made the students rest.
4 先生せんせいは生せい徒とに / を寝ねさせた。	The teacher let/made the students sleep.

This looks a little complicated, but there is a theory. If を is used in another point of the sentence, the particle with the action tacker should be に like this; 「先生せんせいは生せい徒とに安全あんぜんな道みちを歩あるかせた (The teacher made the students walk in the safe way)」 and 「先生せんせいは生せい徒とに身体からだを休やすませた. (The teacher made the students rest their body)」. Also, when you want to ‘make’ someone do something, it’s likely (not always) that を is preferred to に.

Additional Lesson: The Causative-Passive Form

1 生せい徒とは先生せんせいに勉強べんきょうをさせられた。	The students were made to learn by the teacher.
2 生せい徒とは先生せんせいに走はしらせられた。	The students were made to run by the teacher.

This from can be simply translated into “someone is made to do something” and direction givers are usually with に.

Conclusion

In practice conversations, the causative form is often used for making an offer with 「くれる (ください)」 and 「もらう」 like this; 「手て伝つだわせてください (Please let me help you)」 or used for making a request like this; 「次つぎの月曜げつよう、休やすませてくれますか / もらえますか？ (Could you please let me take a leave on the next Monday?)」. That’s not difficult because the subject and the action taker are the same and the particle is usually omitted. However, in explanations, presentations, or formation situations, you may face or need to use the causative form with the proper particle. Thus, please try to remember the above rules or return here when necessary.

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