～させる (使役)
RuleVerb causative (~saseru/~seru): make or let someone do something.
Curiosity
Not "the child eats vegetables" but "the mother makes the child eat vegetables" — how do you say it?
Intuition
The causative puts the "maker" as the subject; the one made to act is marked with ni (or o). It covers both forcing (make do) and allowing (let do).
Visualization
taberu (eat) → tabesaseru (make/let eat).
食べるplain (eat)
Essence
Ichidan: ~ru → ~saseru (taberu → tabesaseru). Godan: a-row + seru (iku → ikaseru, yomu → yomaseru). Irregular: suru → saseru, kuru → kosaseru. The causative-passive ~saserareru means "be made to do" (tabesaserareru).
Examples
母は子供に野菜を食べさせる。
The mother makes the child eat vegetables.
先生は学生に本を読ませた。
The teacher made the students read the book.
部長は私を出張に行かせた。
The manager sent me on a business trip.
Mini-quiz
What is the causative of "iku" (to go)?