せる

also: させる

せ

る

Freq.FrequencyTop 500

せる · ichidan verb

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	せる	せない
Polite	せます	せません
Past polite	せました	せませんでした
Past	せた	せなかった
Te-form	せて	せないで
Desire	せたい	せたくない
Potential	せられるalso せれる	せられないalso せれない
Passive	せられる	せられない
Causative	せさせる	せさせない
Causative passive	せさせられる	せさせられない
Volitional	せよう
Polite volitional	せましょう
Imperative	せろ	せるな
Conditional	せれば	せなければ
Tara conditional	せたら	せなかったら

Meanings

auxiliary verb, ichidan verb

make someone do; let someone do; causative

Expresses causation: making or letting someone do something. せる attaches to the -nai stem of godan verbs and to suru as させる; させる attaches to the -nai stem of ichidan and kuru verbs.

母ははは私わたしに野や菜さいを食たべさせた。
My mother made me eat vegetables.
先せん生せいは生せい徒とたちに宿しゅく題だいをやらせた。
The teacher made the students do their homework.

auxiliary verb, ichidan verb

allow to do; let do; permissive

Indicates permission or allowing someone to do something. Often used when the subject grants permission or does not prevent an action.

父ちちは私わたしを留りゅう学がくに行いかせてくれた。
My father let me go study abroad.
子こ供どもたちを公こう園えんで遊あそばせた。
I let the children play in the park.

auxiliary verb, ichidan verb

honorific auxiliary; respectful expression for others' actions

honorific or respectful (sonkeigo)

Used in honorific constructions like 〜(さ)せられる, あら〜せられる, or 〜(さ)せ給う to show respect toward the subject of the action. Archaic or highly formal in modern Japanese.

天皇てんのう陛へい下かが式しき典てんに臨のぞませられた。
His Majesty the Emperor attended the ceremony (honorific).
古ふるい文ぶん書しょでは「仰おおせ出いださせ給たまう」のような表ひょう現げんが見みられる。
In old documents, expressions like 'おおせいださせたまう' (deign to command) are found.

See all 6,514 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉に〈動どう詞し〉せるto make/let someone (do a volitional action)
先せん生せいは学がく生せいに本ほんを読よませた。
The teacher had the student read the book.
〈動どう詞し〉せてくださいplease let me do (something)
少すこし休やすませてください。
Please let me rest for a bit.
〈人ひと〉を〈動どう詞し〉せるto make someone (do an involuntary action)
その知しらせは彼かの女じょを泣なかせた。
That news made her cry.
〈動どう詞し〉せられるto be made to do (causative-passive)
彼かれは上じょう司しに残ざん業ぎょうをせられた。
He was made to work overtime by his boss.

Related words

させる
せる is the causative auxiliary attached to godan verbs (行かせる), while させる attaches to ichidan and irregular verbs (食べさせる, 来させる) and expresses the same causative/permissive meaning.
しめる
せる is the standard modern causative auxiliary for godan verbs, while しめる is its formal, literary counterpart rarely used in everyday speech.
しむN2
せる is the modern causative auxiliary that replaced the archaic しむ in everyday Japanese.

Don't confuse with

れる sense 1
せる is the causative auxiliary (make/let someone do), while れる is the passive/potential/honorific auxiliary (have something done to one, be able to do, or show respect), and the two are often confused because both attach to the verb stem and combine as させられる.

Written forms

せるUsage92%
Kana-only auxiliary verb; no kanji spelling exists. This is the basic form used with godan and suru verbs.
させるUsage8%
Kana-only auxiliary verb; used with ichidan and kuru verbs, and as an alternative with suru verbs.

Etymology

Derived from classical Japanese causative auxiliary す (su) for godan verbs and しむ (shimu) for other verbs. せる and させる are modern forms that developed from these classical auxiliaries.