Difference between revisions of "Causative verbs"

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Subj. + [Causative Verb] + Person + [Verb Phrase]
 
Subj. + [Causative Verb] + Person + [Verb Phrase]
 
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== Examples ==
 
== Examples ==
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*老师 <em>让</em> 我们 去图书馆  借书 。<span class="pinyin">Lǎoshī <em>ràng</em> wǒmen qù túshū guǎn jiè shū.</span><span class="trans">The teacher let us to go to the library and borrow books.</span>
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*老师 <em>让</em> 我们 去 图书馆 借书 。<span class="pinyin">Lǎoshī <em>ràng</em> wǒmen qù túshū guǎn jiè shū.</span><span class="trans">The teacher let us to go to the library and borrow books.</span>
*这 部 电影 <em>让</em> 人 很 感动 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè bù diànyǐng hěn <em>ràng</em> rén hěn gǎndòng.</span><span class="trans">This movie really moves people.</span>
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*这 部 电影 <em>让</em> 人 很 感动 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè bù diànyǐng <em>ràng</em> rén hěn gǎndòng.</span><span class="trans">This movie really moves people.</span>
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*就 这 一点 工资 ,你 <em>叫</em> 我 怎么 活 ?<span class="pinyin">Jiù zhè yīdiǎn gōngzī, nǐ <em>jiào</em> wǒ zěnme huó?</span><span class="trans">Only this little salary. How do you expect me to live?</span>
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*他 就是 不 听话 ,你 <em>叫</em> 我 怎么办 ?<span class="pinyin">Tā jiùshì bù tīnghuà, nǐ <em>jiào</em> wǒ zěnmebàn?</span><span class="trans">He just wouldn't listen to me. What are you expecting me to do?</span>
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*我 想 <em>请</em> 他 帮 我 修 一下 电脑 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiǎng <em>qǐng</em> tā bāng wǒ xiū yīxià diànnǎo.</span><span class="trans">I want to ask him to help me fix the computer.</span>
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*她 <em>请</em> 了 一 个 阿姨 来 照顾 宝宝 。<span class="trans"> .</span>
 
*她 退学 <em>使</em> 她 父母 非常 失望 。<span class="pinyin">Tā tuìxué <em>shǐ</em> tā fùmǔ fēicháng shīwàng.</span><span class="trans">Dropping out of school really disappointed her parents.</span>
 
*她 退学 <em>使</em> 她 父母 非常 失望 。<span class="pinyin">Tā tuìxué <em>shǐ</em> tā fùmǔ fēicháng shīwàng.</span><span class="trans">Dropping out of school really disappointed her parents.</span>
*这个 调查 结果 <em>使</em> 很 多 官员 被 撤职 了 <span class="pinyin">Zhège diàochá jiéguǒ <em>shǐ</em> hěn duō guānyuán bèi chèzhí le.</span><span class="trans">The research result made many officials lose their job.</span>
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*这 件 事 <em>使</em> 我 学到 了 很 多 。<span class="trans">.</span>
*就 这么 点儿 工资! 你 <em>叫</em> 我 怎么 活 ?<span class="pinyin">Jiù zhème diǎn er gōngzī! Nǐ <em>jiào</em> wǒ zěnme huó?</span><span class="trans">Only this little salary! How do you expect me to live?</span>
 
*你 <em>叫</em> 我到哪儿去给你弄这么多钱 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>jiào</em> wǒ dào nǎr qù gěi nǐ nòng zhème duō qián?</span><span class="trans">Where do you expect me to go get you such a large sum of money?</span>
 
*我 <em>请</em> 他 过来 帮 我 修 电脑。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>qǐng</em> tā guòlái bāng wǒ xiū diànnǎo.</span><span class="trans">I asked him to come and help me fix the computer.</span>
 
*为 了 去 舞会,她 <em>请</em> 了 一位 化妆师 来 帮 她 化妆。<span class="pinyin">Wèi le qù wǔhuì, tā <em>qǐng</em> le yī wèi huàzhuāng shī lái bāng tā huàzhuāng.</span><span class="trans"> In preparation for the ball, she invited a makeup artist to help her put on makeup.</span>
 
  
 
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Revision as of 08:16, 30 October 2017

Causative verbs are verbs that cause people to do things. In English, these are verbs like "make," "have" and "get," as in "get Billy to eat dinner." The "get" is the causative verb.

The most common causative verbs in Chinese are:

  • 让 (ràng)
  • 叫 (jiào)
  • 使 (shǐ)
  • 请 (qǐng)

Make sure to take note of the different meanings and levels of formality. For example, 使 (shǐ) and 让 (ràng) when used as causative verbs basically mean the same thing (to make) but 使 (shǐ) is used in more formal or written Chinese while 让 (ràng) is used more in spoken Chinese.

Structure

Subj. + [Causative Verb] + Person + [Verb Phrase]


Examples

  • 老师 我们 去 图书馆 借书 。Lǎoshī ràng wǒmen qù túshū guǎn jiè shū.The teacher let us to go to the library and borrow books.
  • 这 部 电影 人 很 感动 。Zhè bù diànyǐng ràng rén hěn gǎndòng.This movie really moves people.
  • 就 这 一点 工资 ,你 我 怎么 活 ?Jiù zhè yīdiǎn gōngzī, nǐ jiào wǒ zěnme huó?Only this little salary. How do you expect me to live?
  • 他 就是 不 听话 ,你 我 怎么办 ?Tā jiùshì bù tīnghuà, nǐ jiào wǒ zěnmebàn?He just wouldn't listen to me. What are you expecting me to do?
  • 我 想 他 帮 我 修 一下 电脑 。Wǒ xiǎng qǐng tā bāng wǒ xiū yīxià diànnǎo.I want to ask him to help me fix the computer.
  • 了 一 个 阿姨 来 照顾 宝宝 。 .
  • 她 退学 使 她 父母 非常 失望 。Tā tuìxué shǐ tā fùmǔ fēicháng shīwàng.Dropping out of school really disappointed her parents.
  • 这 件 事 使 我 学到 了 很 多 。.

See also

Sources and further reading

Videos

Books