させていただくHumbly act with permission
させていただく presents an action by the speaker or the speaker's group as something performed with another party's permission or allowance, often expressing gratitude or deference.
The permission behind the form
This construction combines a causative form, which presents the action as allowed, with the humble receiving verb いただく. The natural question to ask is: who permits or accommodates this action? That person may be explicitly named, understood from the situation, or represented by an audience affected by a formal announcement.
Two central contexts
The first example states genuine permission directly. The second is an institutional announcement about an authorized action affecting the audience.
先生の許可を得て、研究室の資料を使わせていただきました。
With my teacher's permission, I was allowed to use the laboratory materials.
AnalyzeThe permission-giver is explicit, and the speaker is the person who used the materials.
設備点検のため、本日の受付は午後四時で終了させていただきます。
Due to an equipment inspection, we will close reception at 4 p.m. today.
AnalyzeThe organization announces its own action deferentially because the change affects visitors.
Common inflections
Swipe sideways to compare every column.
| Purpose | Ending | Typical force |
|---|---|---|
| Deferential statement | させていただきます | The speaker states an authorized or accommodated action. |
| Past action | させていただきました | The speaker reports an action performed with permission. |
| Polite permission question | させていただけますか | The speaker asks whether the other party can allow the action. |
Presenting permission versus directly asking
させていただく frames the speaker's action as being carried out with the other party's allowance. By contrast, させてください is a direct request meaning “please let me do it.”
この資料をコピーさせてください。
Please let me copy this handout.
AnalyzeThis is the neighboring direct-request pattern, not the target construction.
More examples
ご本人の了承を得て、インタビューの一部を公開させていただきます。
With the interviewee's consent, we will publish part of the interview.
Analyze部長の許可をいただいたので、明日の会議にはオンラインで参加させていただきます。
Since I have received the department manager's permission, I will attend tomorrow's meeting online.
Analyzeお客様の同意を確認した上で、お名前を掲載させていただきました。
After confirming the customer's consent, we published their name.
Analyze都合により、次回の配信は一週間休ませていただきます。
Due to circumstances, we will suspend our next broadcast for one week.
Analyzeこの写真を報告書に使わせていただけますか。
May I use this photograph in the report?
Analyze本日は担当者に代わり、私が説明させていただきます。
Today, with your permission, I will give the explanation in place of the person in charge.
Analyze