Japanese Verbs Six

In this Japanese Verbs Six, of the learn Japanese series, we will look at expressing the idea of "getting someone to do something for you," or "making them do something" or "allowing them to do things."

In English we have several words and patterns to express this, but in Japanese you can use the same pattern.

Basically, take the verb stem and then just add the ending …saseru, if it's a regular verb ending in "ru," or use the negative stem and add seru, if it's a verb ending in "u.".

For example, the verb yomu, which means to read:

Negative verb stem = yoma. Now add "seru," which becomes yomaseru.

This, in effect, creates a new verb and means "to have/let/make someone read.

In order to do this with all verbs let's first recap on Japanese verbs

There are three types of verb:

1. irregular verbs, of which there are only two.
2. The verbs that end in "u." 
   
3. Those that end in "ru."

To make it easier I will arrange the verb in its various forms

I have used the plain form of the verb.

Plain Form   Verb Stem   "+saseru/seru" form   Kanji/Kana

Kuru                   ko             kosaseru            こさせる

Suru                                    saseru               させる

Verbs that end in "ru:"

Miru                    mi            misaseru               見させる

Taberu               tabe           tabesaseru           食べさせる

Verbs that end in "u:"

Katsu                kata            kataseru               勝たせる

Yomu                 yoma          yomaseru            読ませる

Modoru             modora         modoraseru        戻らせる

There is a verb miseru, which means "to show," so you won't come across "misaseru" in actual practice. You will find this to be the case with other verbs too.

Beware of the "u" form, they are not supposed to be irregular. However, the way they change is sometimes not what you would expect. Most verbs that end in "ru" behave like "taberu," but not all.

Here are a few examples:

自転車 = ji ten sha = bycycle.       お婆さん = o-baa san = grandmother.

買 = ka. Dictionary form = kau = to buy. 先生 = sensei = teacher.

生徒さん = sei to san = student(s). 漫画 = man ga = comic(s).

カナ = Kana = girl's name.

に is the particle that tells you who is being made to do the action.

I am going to have Jill buy a bicycle.          私はジルに自転車を買わせます   

Grandma let's Kana eat sushi.           お婆さんはカナにすしを食べさせます。

The teacher has the students read comics.  先生は生徒さんに漫画を読ませます。

To say that "you won't allow, make or have someone do something"

Plain Form   Verb Stem   "+sasenai/senai" form        Kanji/Kana

Kuru                  ko               kosasenai                 こさせない

Suru                 sa                 sasenai                    させない

Verbs that end in "ru:"

Miru                   mi               misasenai                  見させない

Taberu               tabe            tabesasenai               食べさせない

Verbs that end in "u:"

Katsu                 kata            katasenai                  勝たせない

Yomu                 yoma           yomasenai                読ませない

Modoru             modora         modorasenai             戻らせない

Here are a few examples:

すし= sushi.   来週 = raishuu = next week. クラス = class.

で is a particle that indicates the place, where the action takes place.

I won’t let Jill buy a bicycle.               私はジルに自転車を買わせません。 

Grandma doesn’t let Kana eat sushi.  

お婆さんはカナにはすしを食べさせません。

I won't have Bill read a book in class next week. 

私は来週ビルにクラスで本を読ませません。 

 

To say that " you had, made or allowed someone do something"

Plain Form   Verb Stem   "+seta/saseta" form      Kanji/Kana

Kuru                  Ko             kosaseta                こさせた

Suru                 sa               saseta                   させた

Verbs that end in "ru:"

Miru                   mi              misaseta                見させた

Taberu               tabe           tabesaseta             食べさせた

Verbs that end in "u:"

Katsu                 kata           kataseta                勝たせた

Yomu                 yoma          yomaseta              読ませた

Modoru             modora        modoraseta           戻らせた

Here are a few examples:

新しい = atarashii = new.  車 = kuruma = car.

I had Bill buy a new car. 

 私はビルに新しい車を買わせました。

Grandma made Kana eat sushi.  

 お婆さんはカナにすしを食べさせました。

The teacher allowed the students to read a comic.

 先生は生徒さんに漫画を読ませました。

 

To say that " you didn't allow, make or have someone do something."

Plain Form   Verb Stem   "+senakatta/sasenakatta" form      Kanji/Kana

Kuru                  ko               kosasenakatta                   こさせなかった

Suru                                    sasenakatta                       させななかった

Verbs that end in "ru:"

Miru                   mi              misasenakatta                     見させなかった

Taberu               tabe           tabesasenakatta                食べさせなかった

Verbs that end in "u:"

Katsu                 kachi          katasenakatta                     勝たせなかった

Yomu                 yomi           yomasenakatta                   読ませなかった

Modoru             modori         modorasenakatta              戻らさせなかった

Here are a few examples:

I didn’t get Jill to buy a bicycle.         ジルに自転車を買わせませんでした。

Grandma didn’t let Kana eat sushi. 

 お婆さんはカナにすしを食べさせませんでした。

The teacher didn’t let the students read comics.

 先生は生徒さんに漫画を読ませませんでした。

Now let's do some practice!

Basic Japanese vocabulary and Japanese symbols for the below exercise.

It's written first in English, then kanji and finally hiragana:

Father = お父さん　= おとうさん　

To play baseball = 野球をする　= やきゅうをする　

Grandma = お婆さん　= おばあさん Radio = ラジオ　To listen = 聞く = きく

12 o'clock = 十二時　= じゅうにじ　Children = 子供たち　= こどもたち　

Lunch = お昼　= おひる  Yesterday = 昨日　= きのう　Kimiko = キミ子　

Park = 公園　= こうえん　To play = 遊ぶ　= あそぶ　Teacher = 先生= せんせい　

Chinese characters = 漢字　= かんじ　To learn = 習う　= ならう　

Boss = 課長　= かちょう　last week = 先週　= せんしゅう　

To do overtime = 残業して = ざんぎょうして　To work = 働く　= はたらく　

This morning = 今朝　= けさ　Wife = 家内　= かない　

Breakfast = 朝食　= ちょうしょく　To cook = 料理する　= りょうりする　

Son = 息子　= むすこ　To write = 書く　= かく　Next week = 来週　= らいしゅう

Concert = 音楽界　= おんがくかい　tobacco = タバコ　To stop = やめる　

Library = 図書館　= としょかん　

Once you have done it, click here to see how you did.

Now, do it again and again until you are perfect and fast.

The only way to remember all this is to practice it on a regular basis.

The best way to absorb Japanese Verbs Six is:

1. Come back to this page regularly and check yourself on the above 12 Japanese phrases.
2. Write an example of each of the tenses in a small note book, so as to practice them when you have nothing to do, like waiting for a bus.
   

Back to the Japanese words page