771 - ~させてください

JLPT N4: ~させてください (please let me...)

You may recall the ~させる marathon we went through a while back:

- [NDL #575] - JLPT N4: ~させる (let)
- [NDL #581] - JLPT N4: ~させる (make to do)
- [NDL #582] - JLPT N4: ~させる (induce to)
- [NDL #583] - JLPT N3: ~させる (cause)
- [NDL #584] - JLPT N2: ~させる (ended up making)
- [NDL #603] - JLPT N4: ~させられる ([causative passive])

I'm afraid we're not done yet. We still need to have our lessons on using ~させる to make requests.

We'll start with ~させてください, "please let me..."


ぜひここで働かせてください。お願いします。
ぜひ ここ で はたらかせてください。 おねがいします。
Please let me work here. (Please.)
Literally: “certainly / without fail + here + で + let (me) work (and) + please. + please.”
Note: I put that second "Please" in parentheses because it shouldn't sound too much like the speaker is begging.

Do you remember how to conjugate verbs into their ~させる form?

Here we have a godan verb, so we do this:

働く(はたらく // to work
↓ ↓ ↓
働かせるはたらかせる // to make/let [someone] work
↓ ↓ ↓
働かせてはたらかせて // to make/let [someone] work [and]
↓ ↓ ↓
働かせてくださいはたらかせてください // please let [me] work

If you've forgotten the conjugation rules, you should review this lesson: [NDL #575] - JLPT N4: ~させる (let).

If you've forgotten all about ~てください, then go back to this lesson: [NDL #385] - JLPT N5: ~てください.


Let's keep at it...


頭が痛いので、ちょっと休ませてください
あたま が いたい ので、 ちょっと やすませてください。
I have a headache, so please let me rest for a little while.
Literally: “head + が + hurting / painful + ので (=because), + a little bit + let (me) rest (and) + please.”





2、3日考えさせてください
に、さん にち かんがえさせて ください。
Please let me think about it for a few days. // Please give me a few days to think about it.
Literally: “two + three + days + let (me) think (and) + please.”



Note that other て-form requests can be used in place of ~させてください, such as ~させてくれませんか or the highly formal ~させてくださいませんか. It's also possible to say ~させてもらえませんか.

We'll have a couple of N3 lessons on these topics soon. Here's one example in the meantime:


部長、来月の上海出張に同行させてくださいませんか
ぶちょう、 らいげつ の しゃんはい しゅっちょう に どうこう させてくださいませんか。
Section chief [Department manager], please let me go with you on the business trip to Shanghai next month.
Literally: “section chief / department manager, + next month + の + Shanghai + business trip + に + going together / accompanying + let (me) do (and) + won’t give (me)?”




🐶 Bonus Japanese 🐶

The verb 任せる (まかせる // to entrust [e.g. a task] to another; to leave [something] to [someone]) has always confused me.

At first glance, it appears to be in the ~させる form. However, you're unlikely to ever see ▽任く (まく) (note the irregular kanji reading), although this is technically a verb meaning something like "to appoint (someone) (to a job)."

任す (まかす), on the other hand, is a verb that you probably will come across at some point... and it means the same thing as 任せる (まかせる).

I used to always mix up who was helping who when 任せる was used. Maybe these examples will help...


任せてください。
まかせてください。
Please leave it to me.
Literally: “leave it to (me) (and) + please.”

じゃあ、任せるね。
じゃあ、 まかせる ね。
OK, I’ll leave it to you, then.
Literally: “well then, + leave it to (you) + ね.”

こいつは俺に任しとけ。
こいつ は おれ に まかしとけ。
I’ll handle this guy. // Leave this one to me.
Literally: “this person ([intimate/rude]) + は + I ([male]) + に + leave it to (me) (and) put/place (=[command]).”
Note: It sounds like the speaker is about to fight someone or something.






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