Causative use for the verb 習う (sense of achievement)


I learnt [here](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/5160/whats-the-
difference-between-these-two-transitive-verb-forms/5161#5161) that "the
causative せる lends a sense of achievement or overcoming hardship to finish
something".

My question is: is it common for Japanese students to use the causative form
of the verb "to learn", when talking about the fact that they learnt something
in school.

In a sentence such as: "Last week, we learned the history of Japan."

(In which I think the verb should be 習う).




There are some issues with [the post you link
to](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/5160/whats-the-difference-
between-these-two-transitive-verb-forms/5161#5161), which I won't delve into
too deeply here.

Your question suggests a misunderstanding of the main point that other post
was making -- comparing a transitive verb (終【お】える, "to finish something") with
the causative form (終【お】わらせる, "to make something be finished") of the
intransitive counterpart (終【お】わる, "something finishes, something ends [on its
own]").

If you start with a transitive verb like 習【なら】う or 学【まな】ぶ ("to learn"), and
the verb has no intransitive counterpart, then you cannot use the causative of
the transitive verb to express anything other than making someone or something
do the action of the verb: 習【なら】わせる or 学【まな】ばせる just means "make someone learn
something".

You _could_ use the potential form of these verbs to express a sense of
accomplishment: 習【なら】えた or 学【まな】べた ("was able to learn") implies that there
was some difficulty that might have prevented accomplishment, which you
overcame.

_(In fact, that's what the 済【す】ませる verb often is in the linked post -- the
potential of the transitive verb 済【す】ます. Confusingly, it can_ also _be an
alternative form of 済【す】ます as the regular_ -aseru _causative ending added to
root verb stem_ sum- _; as with many things in language, context helps
clarify.)_

* * *

In answer to your question:

> Is it common for Japanese students to use the causative form of the verb "to
> learn", when talking about the fact that they learnt something in school?

No, it is not common, nor would it be understandable.




There are some issues with [the post you link
to](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/5160/whats-the-difference-
between-these-two-transitive-verb-forms/5161#5161), which I won't delve into
too deeply here.

Your question suggests a misunderstanding of the main point that other post
was making -- comparing a transitive verb (終【お】える, "to finish something") with
the causative form (終【お】わらせる, "to make something be finished") of the
intransitive counterpart (終【お】わる, "something finishes, something ends [on its
own]").

If you start with a transitive verb like 習【なら】う or 学【まな】ぶ ("to learn"), and
the verb has no intransitive counterpart, then you cannot use the causative of
the transitive verb to express anything other than making someone or something
do the action of the verb: 習【なら】わせる or 学【まな】ばせる just means "make someone learn
something".

You _could_ use the potential form of these verbs to express a sense of
accomplishment: 習【なら】えた or 学【まな】べた ("was able to learn") implies that there
was some difficulty that might have prevented accomplishment, which you
overcame.

_(In fact, that's what the 済【す】ませる verb often is in the linked post -- the
potential of the transitive verb 済【す】ます. Confusingly, it can_ also _be an
alternative form of 済【す】ます as the regular_ -aseru _causative ending added to
root verb stem_ sum- _; as with many things in language, context helps
clarify.)_

* * *

In answer to your question:

> Is it common for Japanese students to use the causative form of the verb "to
> learn", when talking about the fact that they learnt something in school?

No, it is not common, nor would it be understandable.

