Lesson 140: 〜させて いただく

N3 · Lesson 140 · 16 min — "Allow me to ...": a humble phrase you'll hear in meetings, self-introductions and shop notices

Last lesson, Mr. Kuma said: the shop can move, but the tree must stay. Rin decides to ask the travel agency to keep the Yanaka tour going. This lesson has one new phrase: 〜させて いただきます ("Allow me to ..."). We'll also review the N4 phrase 〜させて いただけませんか ("May I ...?"). Read the comic first!

After this lesson, you can:

• Use 〜させて いただきます to humbly say "Allow me to ...": 説明せつめいさせて いただきます
• Tell apart 〜させて いただけませんか (asking permission) and 〜させて いただきます (announcing)
• Tell apart 〜して いただく (asking the other person to do it) and 〜させて いただく (letting me do it)
• Make the causative te-form correctly: 休やすませて (not 休やすまさせて)

A Request at the Meeting Table

Mr. Kuma said the shop can move, but the tree must stay. Rin walks into the travel agency meeting with his Yanaka tour plan. Manager Tanuki can never remember Rin's name ("君きみ、名前なまえなんだっけ？" = "You, what was your name again?"). (じゃあ／では = well then (at the start of a sentence; では is more formal), 続つづける = to continue, 理由りゆう = reason, 君きみ = you, 試食ししょく = tasting a sample, 呼よぶ = to call, to invite)

Causative te-form + いただきます = humbly saying "Allow me to ...". But you need approval first. Saying "試食ししょくさせて いただきます" uninvited, like Neko-sensei, is very cheeky! Next lesson, a new notice goes up on the ward office bulletin board...

Words for this lesson: meetings and work

• 〜させて いただきます (sasete itadakimasu): Allow me to ... (humbly says what you will do)
• 〜させて いただけませんか (sasete itadakemasen ka): May I ...? (asking permission)
• 説明せつめいする (setsumei suru): explanation
• 続つづける (tsuzukeru): to continue (keep doing)
• 担当たんとうする (tantō suru): to be in charge of
• 案内あんない (annai): guidance, guiding
• 発表はっぴょうする (happyō suru): presentation
• 会議かいぎ (kaigi): meeting
• 企画きかく (kikaku): plan, project
• 資料しりょう (shiryō): materials, documents
• 部長ぶちょう (buchō): department manager
• 本日ほんじつ (honjitsu): today (formal)
• 試食ししょく (shishoku): tasting a sample
• お先さきに 失礼しつれいします (osaki ni shitsurei shimasu): Excuse me, I'm leaving (before others)

Grammar 1 / 1: Allow me to ...

Causative te-form (〜させて) + いただきます = "Allow me to ...": you say what you will do in a humble way, as if "I receive your permission to do it." 説明せつめいさせて いただきます = Allow me to explain.

• Form: causative te-form + いただきます: First change the verb to the causative, then to the te-form: 読よむ → 読よませて, 休やすむ → 休やすませて, 食たべる → 食たべさせて, する → させて, 来くる → 来こさせて. A Group 1 verb ending in う changes to わ: 使つかう → 使つかわせて. Then add いただきます.
• Meaning: Allow me to ...: Literally, "I receive your permission to do ...". It's something you will do yourself, but you say it as if you do it only because the other person allows it. That's why it sounds humble. It's very common in meetings, self-introductions and when speaking to customers.
• Asking vs. telling: いただけませんか / いただきます: 〜させて いただけませんか = "May I ...?" You are asking and still waiting for a yes (learned in N4). 〜させて いただきます = "Allow me to ..." You are telling: it's your turn, or the other person already agreed, and you announce it politely. In shop notices or when opening an event, nobody was really asked. You speak as if the other person had already agreed, so this form works there too. Both are very polite. The difference is only asking or telling. For example, "考かんがえさせて いただきます" ("I'll think it over, then") is a common polite phrase, and it is an announcement. If you want to ask first, "May I think about it?", use いただけませんか. When you really need to borrow something or change a plan and the other person hasn't agreed yet, use いただけませんか too.
• Common situations and tips: Opening a meeting: 始はじめさせて いただきます. Self-introduction: ご案内あんないを 担当たんとうさせて いただく リンと 申もうします. Shop notice: 本日ほんじつは 休やすませて いただきます. Don't use it with friends, and don't put it in every sentence of a speech: overuse sounds wordy.

• では、説明せつめいさせて いただきます。 — Well then, allow me to explain.
• これから 会議かいぎを 始はじめさせて いただきます。 — Now, allow me to declare the meeting open.
• 本日ほんじつは 店みせを 休やすませて いただきます。 — We are closed today. Thank you for your understanding.
• 本日ほんじつ、ご案内あんないを 担当たんとうさせて いただく リンと 申もうします。 — I'm Rin, and I'll be guiding you today.
• 部長ぶちょう、少すこし 考かんがえさせて いただけませんか。 — Manager, may I have some time to think it over?