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The book I'm reading is giving examples of how direct instructions can be written as indirect instructions using させるform.

As in:

Sensei: 作文を書きなさい。
Indirect >> 先生は学生に作文を書かせました。

I clearly understand the sentence above but I have problem understanding the sentence below:

Shachou: 鈴木課長、上村くんの世話をしてくれ。
Indirect >> 社長は鈴木課長に上村くんの世話をさせました。

Why does the book get rid of the くれる verb in してくれ and use させました in the indirect sentence (shouldn't it be してくれさせました?)

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The second sentences here are not indirect instructions.

The first sentences are direct commands. The second sentences describe the resulting situation.

Sensei: 作文を書きなさい。

  • "Write a composition!"

Indirect >> 先生は学生に作文を書かせました。

  • "The teacher made the students write a composition."

Shachou: 鈴木課長、上村くんの世話をしてくれ。

  • "Suzuki-kacho, take good care of Uemura-kun for me!"

Indirect >> 社長は鈴木課長に上村くんの世話をさせました。

  • "The Shacho(company president) made Suzuki-kacho take good care of Uemura-kun."

The くれ part in the 3rd sentence is the command form of くれる, so you would be commanding someone to do something for you.

させる on the other hand means to "make", "force", "cause", "let" or "allow" someone do something. It's not used to express an indirect command in the cases you mentioned.

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  • could you share additional explanation as to why it is してくれ instead of してくれる? Does it make it more casual by dropping the る?
    – Alice28
    Commented Jun 29, 2016 at 14:27
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    It's the imperative form of くれる
    – sonigo
    Commented Jun 29, 2016 at 20:11
  • In normal speech people often say してくれる? (as a question) to express a request. But, like sonigo said, してくれ is a command, like a manager might give his subordinate.
    – sazarando
    Commented Jun 29, 2016 at 22:07

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