Unit 6 - Section 2: 〜と

Practice Quiz

Causative Form (Make / Let Do)

Learn to express the causative: making someone do something or letting someone do something. Important for expressing relationships and permissions.

Formation Patterns

Ichidan (Group 1): Remove る, add させる
  • 食べる → 食べさせる (make/let eat)
  • 見る → 見させる (make/let see)
Godan (Group 2): Change -u to -a + す
Ending Change Example
う → わせる 買う → 買わせる
く → かせる 書く → 書かせる
ぐ → がせる 泳ぐ → 泳がせる
す → させる 話す → 話させる
Irregular Verbs:
  • する → させる
  • 来る → 来させる (or こさせる)

Causative Usage

1. Force/Make Someone Do:

Pattern: [Person]を [Verb causative]

  • 子どもを走らせた。 - "I made the child run."
  • 学生に宿題をさせます。 - "I make students do homework."
2. Allow/Let Someone Do:

Pattern: [Person]を [Verb causative]

  • 子どもを遊ばせる。 - "Let the child play."
  • 学生に発表させます。 - "I'll let the student present."

Causative Passive Form

Pattern: させられる (be forced to / have to)

Combined causative-passive: "be made to" or "forced to"

私わたしは毎日まいにち5時に起おこされます。
[Watashi wa mainichi go-ji ni okosaremasu]
Translation: I'm made to wake up at 5 every day. (passive of causative)

Example Sentences

先生せんせいは学生がくせいに本ほんを読よませました。
[Sensei wa gakusei ni hon wo yomasemashita]
Translation: The teacher made the students read books.
母ははは子こどもを学校がっこうへ行かせた。
[Haha wa kodomo wo gakkou e ikaseta]
Translation: The mother made/let the child go to school.
私わたしたちは無理むりやり走はしらされた。
[Watashitachi wa muri yari harasereta]
Translation: We were forced to run. (causative-passive)

Study Tips

Master Causative Form:
  • Ichidan: Simple rule - just add させる
  • Godan: Change -u to -a + す
  • Context matters: Determine if it means "make" or "let" from context
  • Causative-passive: "Be forced to" - very useful pattern
  • Practice with particles: を for direct objects, に/に for indirect objects
Course Navigation
Study Tips
  • Read each example carefully
  • Practice pronunciation aloud
  • Create your own sentences to reinforce memory
  • Finish the section quiz