N3 · Passive and causative
Let me do it
させてください and させていただく
The causative turned round: asking to be allowed to act, and announcing it humbly.
The causative says that somebody lets somebody act. Put it in the te-form and add ください, and you are asking to be that somebody: 私にやらせてください, "let me do it". 少し考えさせてください is the standard way to ask for time to think, and ここは私に払わせてください is how you offer to pay.
For a softer request, make it a question: させてもらえませんか, and more politely still, させていただけませんか. These ask whether the other person would be willing to let you, which leaves them room to refuse.
させていただきます is something else: a humble announcement. It presents what you are about to do as something done with the listener's permission and for their benefit: それでは、始めさせていただきます, "we will now begin". Shops use it for notices (本日は休業させていただきます), and speakers use it to introduce themselves.
The mistake English speakers make is to ask with the plain te-form. 休んでください means "please rest" — you are telling the other person to take a day off. To ask for a day off yourself, the verb has to be causative: 休ませてください.
The form
stem (regular) stem (irregular) ending auxiliary verb
| let me go | 行かせてください |
| let me rest, let me take time off | 休ませてください |
| let me think | 考えさせてください |
| let me do it | させてください |
| could you let me use…? | 使わせてもらえませんか |
| would you be so kind as to let me read…? | 読ませていただけませんか |
| I will (humbly) begin | 始めさせていただきます |
| I will (humbly) explain | 説明させていただきます |
The rules one by one
The causative te-form plus ください asks to be allowed to do something yourself.
その仕事、私にやらせてください。Let me do that job.
For a softer request, ask a question with させてもらえませんか or させていただけませんか.
この部屋を少し使わせていただけませんか。Would you let me use this room for a little while?
させていただきます announces, humbly, what you are about to do.
それでは、会議を始めさせていただきます。Well then, let's begin the meeting.
You are the one who acts; the person you speak to is the one whose permission you need.
一晩考えさせてください。Let me sleep on it.
A closer look
When させていただく is one politeness too many
させていただく was originally exact: you do something because somebody allowed you to, and you are grateful for it. In modern speech it has spread to actions where nobody gave any permission — "I was born in Osaka", "I graduated last year" — and many native speakers find that stiff or even fawning.
A useful test is whether the listener could have said no. Opening a meeting, taking a day off, using somebody's room: yes, so させていただく fits. Your own past, your own studies: no, and a plain humble verb such as いたしました, or simply ました, sounds better.
How to spot it
- させてください
- させてもらえませんか
- させていただけませんか
- させていただきます
Example sentences
今日は体調が悪いので、早めに帰らせてください。I am not feeling well today, so please let me go home early.
ここは私に払わせてください。Let me pay this time.
少し考えさせてもらえませんか。Could you give me a little time to think about it?
本日は休業させていただきます。We are closed today.
写真を一枚撮らせていただけませんか。Would you mind if I took a photo?
では、簡単に自己紹介をさせていただきます。Then let me briefly introduce myself.
7 more example sentences
私にも手伝わせてください。Let me help too.
ちょっとトイレを使わせてもらえますか。Could I use your toilet for a moment?
今回は参加を見送らせていただきます。I will have to sit this one out, if you do not mind.
来月末で退職させていただくことになりました。I will be leaving the company at the end of next month.
次は私に選ばせてね。Let me choose next time, all right?
明日は午前中だけ休ませていただけないでしょうか。Would it be possible for me to take tomorrow morning off?
その件については、後ほど説明させていただきます。I will explain that matter later, if I may.
Worth knowing (1)
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Show me is a verb of its own
Not every "let me" is a causative. "Let me see" or "show me" is usually 見せて, from the separate verb 見せる, "to show". 見させて, the causative of 見る, exists too, but is used for asking to look at something more closely or for longer.
その写真、ちょっと見せて。Let me have a look at that photo.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
てください asks the listener to do something. With 休んで, you have just told your boss to stay at home tomorrow. When the person who will act is you, the verb must be causative — "let me" — and that is what 休ませて says.
To ask to do something yourself, make the verb causative before you add ください.
Your turn
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