How to use を~に任せる (wo ~ ni makaseru): A Streetwise JLPT N2 Grammar Guide

disposal

爆弾ばくだんの解体かいたいなんて、素人しろうとの俺おれに任まかせないでくれよ。
Don’t f***ing leave the bomb defusing to an amateur like me.

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Read the explanation below to understand the nuance of how this grammar structure is used.

The Lowdown on を~に任まかせる

Listen, in the streets, you can’t do everything yourself. You gotta have a crew you trust. When you got a body to hide or a bag to move, and you hand that job over to your right-hand man, that’s を~に任まかせる

It basically means “to leave [something] up to [someone]” or “to entrust [someone] with [something].” It’s about passing the torch, giving up control, and letting someone else handle the damn business.

The Nuance: This ain’t just “asking for a favor.” This is about responsibility. When you use this, you’re saying, “I’m out. This is your problem now. Don’t f*** it up.” It carries a vibe of trust, but also a vibe of “this is your duty.” It’s like when Stringer Bell tells a soldier to handle a corner—it’s on them now.

The Metaphor: Think of it like a Relay Race in the Projects. You’re sprinting with the baton (the task), and you’re gassed. You see your homeboy waiting. You shove that stick into his hand and keep running. The baton is the Object (を), and your homeboy is the Target (に). Once he’s got it, you ain’t holding the stick no more. He’s the one who’s gotta cross the finish line or get tackled by the narcs.


Grammar Conjugation Guide.

Check the table below to see how we build this joint.

FormStructureExampleTranslation
Noun + を + Noun + に[Task] を [Person] に 任せる運転うんてんを弟おとうとに任まかせるI’m leavin’ the drivin’ to my lil’ bro.
Te-form (Entrusting & …)~を~に任せて、…武器ぶきを部下ぶかに任まかせて、逃にげたI left the heat with my underling and dipped.
Passive (Being Entrusted)~を~に任せられる大役たいやくをボスに任まかせられたI was entrusted with a big job by the boss.

To put it simply, you take the thing you want done (the noun) and slap を on it. Then you take the person who’s gotta do the work and slap に on it. The verb 任まかせる is a Ru-verb (Ichidan), so it’s easy as hell to conjugate. If you want to say you were “stuck” with the job, you use the passive form 任まかせられる, which sounds like when the OG tells you to watch the stash house while everyone else goes to the strip club.


Example sentences

Read and master the example sentences below.

裏うら切ぎり者ものの始末しまつは、一番いちばん冷酷れいこくな部下ぶかに任まかせることにした。
I decided to leave the disposal of the snitch to my coldest underling.

ボスは、次つぎの抗争こうそうの指揮しきを俺おれに任まかせてくれた。
The boss entrusted the command of the next turf war to me.

見張みはりは新入しんいりに任まかせたが、あいつは途中とちゅうで寝ねやがった。
I left the lookout duty to the rookie, but the dumbass fell asleep halfway through.

密輸みつゆルートの確保かくほは、地元じもとのギャングに任まかせるしかない。
We have no choice but to leave securing the smuggling route to the local gang.

武器ぶきの調達ちょうたつをあいつに任まかせると、いつもガラクタばかり持もってきやがる。
Every time I leave the weapon procurement to him, he brings back nothing but junk.

偽造ぎぞうパスポートの作成さくせいは、闇やみの業者ぎょうしゃに任まかせるのが通例つうれいだ。
It’s standard practice to leave the making of fake passports to underground brokers.

取とり立たての仕事しごとは、腕うでっぷしの強つよい男おとこたちに任まかせよう。
Let’s leave the debt collection work to the guys with the biggest muscles.

麻薬まやくの売買ばいばいは、信頼しんらいできる売人ばいにんにしか任まかせられない。
I can only leave the drug dealing to pushers I actually trust.

毒薬どくやくの調合ちょうごうは、あの不気味ぶきみな医者いしゃに任まかせておけば安心あんしんだ。
You can feel easy leaving the mixing of poisons to that creepy doctor.

死体したいの遺棄いきを新人しんじんに任まかせるなんて、リスクが高たかすぎる。
Leaving the body disposal to a rookie is way too high-risk.


Stay dangerous.

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