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Causative Form of Verbs in Japanese
Understanding Causative Form in Japanese
The causative form in Japanese is used to express situations where someone makes or allows another person to do something. This grammatical structure is essential for both beginners and intermediate learners as it plays a vital role in daily conversations and formal settings.
Formation of the Causative Form
The causative form in Japanese follows a specific conjugation pattern based on the verb group.
Group 1 (Ichidan Verbs – ใ-verbs)
- Drop ใ and add ใใใ
- Example: ้ฃในใ โ ้ฃในใใใ (taberu โ tabesaseru) – “to make/let someone eat”
Group 2 (Godan Verbs – ใ-verbs)
- Change the final ใ sound to ใ and add ใใ
- Example: ๆธใ โ ๆธใใใ (kaku โ kakaseru) – “to make/let someone write”
Irregular Verbs
- ใใ โ ใใใ
- ใใ โ ใใใใ
Usage of Causative Form
1. Making Someone Do Something
When the subject forces someone to do something.
- ๅ
็ใฏ็ๅพใซๆฌใ่ชญใพใใใ
- Sensei wa seito ni hon o yomaseta.
- “The teacher made the student read the book.”
2. Allowing Someone to Do Something
When the subject permits another person to do something.
- ๆฏใฏๅญไพใซใขใคในใฏใชใผใ ใ้ฃในใใใใ
- Haha wa kodomo ni aisukurฤซmu o tabesaseta.
- “The mother let the child eat ice cream.”
3. When Used with Intransitive Verbs
It means “to let someone” do something.
- ๅ้ใฏ็งใๆฉใๅธฐใใใใ
- Tomodachi wa watashi o hayaku kaeraseta.
- “My friend let me go home early.”
4. Causative-Passive Form (When Someone Is Made to Do Something Unwillingly)
- ๅ
็ใซๅฎฟ้กใใใใใใใใใใใใ
- Sensei ni shukudai o takusan yaraserareta.
- “I was made to do a lot of homework by the teacher.”
Situations Where Causative Form Is Used
- Forcing someone to do something
- Giving permission to do something
- Describing workplace instructions
- Formal requests in a business setting
- Parenting and teaching situations
- Expressing feelings of obligation
- Telling someone to act on your behalf
Beginner and Intermediate Level Verbs with Causative Form and Example Sentences
| Verb (Dictionary Form) | Causative Form | Example Sentence 1 | Romaji | English | Example Sentence 2 | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ้ฃในใ (taberu) | ้ฃในใใใ (tabesaseru) | ๆฏใฏ็งใซ้่ใ้ฃในใใใใ | Haha wa watashi ni yasai o tabesaseta. | “My mother made me eat vegetables.” | ๅ ็ใฏ็ๅพใซๆผใ้ฃฏใ้ฃในใใใใ | Sensei wa seito ni hirugohan o tabesaseta. | “The teacher let the students eat lunch.” |
| ่กใ (iku) | ่กใใใ (ikaseru) | ็ถใฏ็งใๅญฆๆ กใซ่กใใใใ | Chichi wa watashi o gakkล ni ikaseta. | “My father made me go to school.” | ๅ ็ใฏ็ๅพใๆ ่กใซ่กใใใใ | Sensei wa seito o ryokล ni ikaseta. | “The teacher let the students go on a trip.” |
| ๆธใ (kaku) | ๆธใใใ (kakaseru) | ๅ ็ใฏ็ๅพใซไฝๆใๆธใใใใ | Sensei wa seito ni sakubun o kakaseta. | “The teacher made the student write an essay.” | ๅฝผใฏๅผใซๆ็ดใๆธใใใใ | Kare wa otลto ni tegami o kakaseta. | “He made his younger brother write a letter.” |
More Example Sentences
- ๅ ็ใฏ็ๅพใซๅฎฟ้กใใใใใใ
- ๅ้ใฏ็งใซใใฎๆ ็ปใ่ฆใใใใ
- ๆฏใฏ็งใซ็ฟใๆดใใใใ
- ็ถใฏ็งใซใใขใใๅผพใใใใ
- ไผ็คพใฏ็คพๅกใซๅ ฑๅๆธใๆธใใใใ
- ๅป่ ใฏๆฃ่ ใซ่ฌใ้ฃฒใพใใใ
- ๅ ็ใฏๅญฆ็ใ็ซใใใใ
- ๅ ใฏๅผใซ็ฌใๆฃๆญฉใใใใ
- ๅ้ใฏ็งใซ่ฉฆ้จใฎๅ้กใ่งฃใใใใ
- ็ถใฏ็งใซๆไผใใใใใใ
Fill in the Blanks
- ๅ ็ใฏ็ๅพใซๆฌใ ___ ใ
- ๆฏใฏๅญไพใซ้่ใ ___ ใ
- ๅ้ใฏ็งใๆฉใ ___ ใ
- ็ถใฏ็งใซๅฎฟ้กใ ___ ใ
- ๅป่ ใฏๆฃ่ ใซ่ฌใ ___ ใ
- ๅ ็ใฏ็ๅพใซ้ปๆฟใซๅญใ ___ ใ
- ็คพ้ทใฏ้จไธใซใฌใใผใใ ___ ใ
- ๅ ใฏๅผใซใใขใใ ___ ใ
- ๅ้ใฏ็งใซ่ฉฆ้จใฎ็ญใใ ___ ใ
- ๅ ็ใฏๅญฆ็ใ็ซใใใใ
Answers
- ่ชญใพใใ
- ้ฃในใใใ
- ๅธฐใใใ
- ใใใใ
- ้ฃฒใพใใ
- ๆธใใใ
- ๆธใใใ
- ๅผพใใใ
- ่งฃใใใ
- ็ซใใใ
Things to Keep in Mind
- The causative form can indicate both “making someone do” and “letting someone do” an action.
- The causative-passive form (e.g., ใใใใใใ) is often used when someone is forced to do something against their will.
- The particle ใซ is used to indicate the person being caused to act.
- Some sentences may sound unnatural if used without context, so always consider the situation.
Conclusion
The causative form in Japanese is essential for expressing permission, coercion, and obligation. Mastering it will help you create more nuanced sentences in conversations and formal settings. Keep practicing with different verbs and contexts, and soon, using the causative form will become second nature!
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