～させる
causative form of suru
させる is the causative form of する. Attached to an action noun, it means the subject makes or lets another person perform that action. The person who actually does the action is usually marked with に.
English needs two different verbs “make someone do” and “let someone do”, but Japanese uses this single form for both.
1. Making someone do something
Use ～させる when the subject requires or forces the action.
子供に勉強させます。
“I make my child study.”
- 子供（こども）= child
- に = marks the person who is made to act
- 勉強させます（べんきょうさせます）= make (them) study
2. Letting someone do something
The same form also covers permission: allowing someone to do what they want. Context decides whether the meaning is “make” or “let”.
週末は子供にゲームをさせます。
“On weekends I let my children play games.”
- 週末（しゅうまつ）= weekend
- は = topic marker
- 子供（こども）= children
- に = marks the person who is allowed to act
- ゲーム = video games
- を = object marker
- させます = let (them) do (causative of する)
How to form it
Action noun + させる (the person who performs the action takes に)
- 勉強する（べんきょうする）= to study → 勉強させる（べんきょうさせる）= make/let (someone) study
- 練習する（れんしゅうする）= to practice → 練習させる（れんしゅうさせる）= make/let (someone) practice
- 掃除する（そうじする）= to clean → 掃除させる（そうじさせる）= make/let (someone) clean
Key idea
させる shifts the action to someone else: you make or let them do it. Mark the actual doer with に, and let context determine whether you are forcing, allowing, or simply causing the action.
Other N4 grammar
Updated .