困らせる
こまらせる
verb
to cause trouble for; to embarrass; to put in a difficult position
Conjugation
| Affirmative | Negative | |
|---|---|---|
| Present | 困らせる | 困らせない |
| Present polite | 困らせます | 困らせません |
| Past | 困らせた | 困らせなかった |
| Past polite | 困らせました | 困らせませんでした |
| て form | 困らせて | 困らせなくて |
| ている present | 困らせている | 困らせていない |
| ている polite | 困らせています | 困らせていません |
| ている past | 困らせていた | 困らせていなかった |
| ている past polite | 困らせていました | 困らせていませんでした |
| Conditional ば | 困らせれば | 困らせなければ |
| Conditional たら | 困らせたら | 困らせなかったら |
| Volitional | 困らせよう | — |
| Volitional polite | 困らせましょう | — |
| Potential | 困らせられる | 困らせられない |
| Passive | 困らせられる | 困らせられない |
| Causative | 困らせさせる | 困らせさせない |
| Imperative | 困らせろ | 困らせるな |
1.
to cause trouble for; to embarrass; to put in a difficult position
To make someone feel troubled, embarrassed, or at a loss by one's actions or words.
人を困らせてはいけない。
You shouldn't cause trouble for others.
子どもが先生を困らせた。
The child gave the teacher a hard time.
そんな難しい質問をされたら困らせることになるよ。
Asking such a difficult question will put them in an awkward position.
親を困らせるようなことはしないでほしい。
I don't want you to do things that trouble your parents.
Causative form of 困る (to be troubled; to be at a loss). While 困る describes the state of being troubled, 困らせる assigns agency — someone is actively causing the trouble. Very common in parenting, teaching, and relationship contexts.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 人を困らせる: to trouble someone
- 親を困らせる: to trouble one's parents
- 先生を困らせる: to give the teacher a hard time
- 困らせるつもりはない: I don't intend to cause trouble
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 迷惑をかける: to cause inconvenience — focuses on the burden placed on others; more formal
- 悩ませる: to worry; to distress — implies deeper emotional distress rather than practical trouble
- 手を焼かせる: to give someone a hard time — implies ongoing difficulty, often with a child or subordinate