Lesson 22 — The Causative Form (使役形): “Make / Let Someone Do”

What Is the Causative Form?


The causative form (使役形 しえきけい) expresses the idea of making or letting someone do something. It covers two related meanings:

MeaningNuanceEnglish
CoercionForcing or directing someone to act“make someone do”
PermissionAllowing or letting someone act“let someone do”

💡 Japanese uses the same causative form for both “make” and “let.” Context — and sometimes the choice of particle — tells you which is meant. We’ll explore how to distinguish them later in the lesson.

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