Postby Jason » August 22nd, 2007 10:44 pm
The causative form actually has 2 uses. It can mean "to make someone do..." and also "to allow someone to do..." You form it like this:
Class 1 verbs: change the last syllable to it's あ column version and add せる
-買う ー＞ 買わせる
-切る ー＞ 切らせる
-死ぬ ー＞ 死なせる
-話す ー＞ 話させる
-読む ー＞ 読ませる
Class 2 verbs: drop final る, add させる
-食べる ー＞ 食べさせる
-捨てる ー＞ 捨てさせる
-降りる ー＞ 降りさせる
Class 3 verbs:
する ー＞ させる
来る ー＞ 来[こ]させる
If the verb is intransitive (one that connot take an object):
A(は/が)B(に/を)C。
"A makes/lets B do C"
If に is used, the sentence means "to allow to do C". If を is used, then the sentence means "to make to do C."
-父は妹にダンスへ行かせた。- "Dad let my sister go to the dance."
-父は妹をダンスへ行かせた。 - "Dad made my sister go to the dance."
If the verb is transitive (one that must take an object):
A(は/が)BにCをD。
"A makes/lets B do D to C."
With transitive verbs, the receiver of the action (the agent, to use grammar lingo) must be marked with に, so you have to figure out whether it means "makes" or "allows" from the context.
-父は妹に最後のプリンを食べさせた。
Ambiguous without context. Could mean either:
"Dad made my sister eat the last of the pudding" or
"Dad let my sister eat the last of the pudding."
The causative, along with the passive, is used a LOT in very polite Japanese, particularly in humble language (謙遜語).
-自己紹介させていただきます。
Literally, "I will receive the favor of [you] allowing me to introduce myself."
Or just "Allow me to introduce myself" (ultra polite version)
Jason
Manager of Mobile & Mac Applications
