JLPT N3: ～させてくれませんか (would it be all right if I...?)

In our last N4 lesson, we saw ～させてください, which is a way to ask "please let me..."

This lesson: [NDL #771] - JLPT N4: ～させてください.

Saying ～させてくれませんか is a bit less direct. After all, the semi-literal translation is "won't you let me...?"

In an actual sentence, however, I think a translation like "would it be all right if I...?" sounds a bit more natural:

A:
サラダは私に作らせてくれませんか。得意なんです。
サラダ　は　わたし　に　つくらせてくれませんか。　とくい　なんです。
Would it be all right if I made the salad? I’m good at making them.
Literally: “salad + は + I + に + let (me) make (and) + won’t give (me) + か. + skilled / (my) forte + なんです.”

B:
そうですか。じゃあ、お願いします。
そう　です　か。　じゃあ、　おねがい　します。
You are? Then yes, please.
Literally: “is that so? + well then, + please (do).”

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If you want to up the formality of your request for permission, you can use ～てくださいませんか：

A:
明日は子供の運動会があるので、休ませてくださいませんか。
あした　は　こども　の　うんどうかい　が　ある　ので、　やすませてくださいませんか。
My child’s athletic meet [sports day] is tomorrow, so I was wondering if it would be all right to miss work.
Literally: “tomorrow + は + child + の + athletic meet / sports day + が + there is + because (=ので), + let (me) take the day off (and) + won’t give (me) + か.”
Note: I know of no perfect word in English for 運動会. It's a school event where students compete in different sports, and family usually attends.

B:
ええ、いいですよ。
ええ、　いい　です　よ。
Yes, go ahead.
Literally: “yes, + good + です + よ.”

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Since we've already studied させる and ～てくださいませんか, this grammar point should be making sense at this point.

- [NDL #575] - JLPT N4: ～させる (let)
- [NDL #455] - JLPT N5: ～てくださいませんか

If you're feeling lost, or perhaps forgetting how to conjugate these verbs, please review.

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Another example:

Student:
先生、今日の放課後、体育館を使わせてくれませんか。
せんせい、　きょう　の　ほうかご、　たいいくかん　を　つかわせてくれませんか。
Sensei, would it be all right if I [we] used the gym after school today?
Literally: “sensei, + today + の + after dismissal of classes, + gymnasium + を + let (me) use (and) + won’t give (me) + か.”

Teacher:
ええ、どうぞ。
ええ、　どうぞ。
Yes, go ahead.
Literally: “yes, + go ahead.”

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In casual language, you can use ～させてくれない？ instead of ～させてくれませんか：

A:
私にもちょっとやらせてくれない？マリオカート大好きなの。
わたし　に　も　ちょと　やらせてくれない？　マリオカート　だいすき　なの。
Can I play a bit, too? I love Mario Kart.
Literally: “I + に + も + a little bit + let (me) do (and) + won’t give (me)? + Mario Kart + loved / greatly liked + なの.”

B:
うん、いいよ。
うん、　いい　よ。
Yeah, sure.
Literally: “yeah, + good + よ.”

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That's all for this one.

We still have an N3 lesson on ～させてもらえませんか, though, so we're not out of the woods yet.