せる

See also: セル

Japanese

Etymology 1

From Classical Japanese す (su), which followed 下二段活用 (shimo nidan katsuyō, “lower bigrade conjugation”).

Suffix

せる • (-seru) ichidan (stem せ (-se), past せた (-seta))

1. (jodōshi) Used to form the causative of verbs.
   1. Expresses causation: to make ... do ...

      子(こ)供(ども)に本(ほん)を読(よ)ませる

      kodomo ni hon o yomaseru

      to make children read books

      死(し)なせてください。

      Shinasete kudasai.

      Please let me die.

Conjugation

Conjugation of "せる" (See Appendix:Japanese verbs.)

Stem forms
Imperfective (未然形)	せ	-se
Continuative (連用形)	せ	-se
Terminal (終止形)	せる	-seru
Attributive (連体形)	せる	-seru
Hypothetical (仮定形)	せれ	-sere
Imperative (命令形)	せよ¹ せろ²	-seyo¹ -sero²
Key constructions
Passive	せられる	-serareru
Causative	－	－
Potential	せられる せれる³	-serareru -sereru³
Volitional	せよう	-seyō
Negative	せない せぬ せん	-senai -senu -sen
Negative continuative	せず	-sezu
Formal	せます	-semasu
Perfective	せた	-seta
Conjunctive	せて	-sete
Hypothetical conditional	せれば	-sereba
¹ Written imperative ² Spoken imperative ³ Colloquial potential

Usage notes

Attaches only to the 未然形 (mizenkei, “irrealis or incomplete form”) of Group I (godan) verbs and the irregular verb する (suru). The result is conjugated like an ichidan verb.

• 書(か)く (kaku) → 書(か)かせる (kaka-seru), 書(か)かせます (kaka-semasu), etc.
• 呼(よ)ぶ (yobu) → 呼(よ)ばせる (yoba-seru), 呼(よ)ばせます (yoba-semasu), etc.
• 言(い)う (iu) → 言(い)わせる (iwa-seru), 言(い)わせます (iwa-semasu), etc.
• する (suru) → させる (sa-seru), させます (sa-semasu), etc.

The passive form of verbs from other conjugation classes are formed with させる (-saseru) instead of せる (-seru).

In colloquial speech, せる (-seru) can be contracted to す (-su), which follows 五段活用 (godan katsuyō, “quinquigrade conjugation”).

See also

• させる (-saseru)
• しめる (-shimeru)

Etymology 2

Verb

せる • (seru) godan (stem せり (seri), past せった (setta))

1. 迫る:

Etymology 3

Verb

せる • (seru) godan (stem せり (seri), past せった (setta))

1. 競る, 糶る: