Difference between revisions of "Causative verbs"
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| − | *<em>让</em> 他 走 ！<span class="trans"Make him leave!</span> | + | *<em>让</em> 他 走 ！<span class="trans">Make him leave!</span> |
*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> | *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> | ||
*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> | *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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*能 不 能 <em>请</em> 你 明天 照顾 一下 我 的 狗 ？<span class="trans">Can I ask you to look after my dog tomorrow?</span> | *能 不 能 <em>请</em> 你 明天 照顾 一下 我 的 狗 ？<span class="trans">Can I ask you to look after my dog tomorrow?</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 件 事 <em>使</em> 我 学到 了 很 多 。<span class="trans">.</span> | + | *这 件 事 <em>使</em> 我 学到 了 很 多 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn shì <em>shǐ</em> wǒ xuédào le hěn duō.</span><span class="trans">This piece of matter makes me learn a lot.</span> |
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Revision as of 08:27, 30 October 2017
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Keywords
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
- 让 他 走 ！Make him leave!
- 这 部 电影 让 人 很 感动 。This movie really moves people.
- 就 这 一点 工资 ，你 叫 我 怎么 活 ？Only this little salary. How do you expect me to live?
- 他 就是 不 听话 ，你 叫 我 怎么办 ？He just wouldn't listen to me. What are you expecting me to do?
- 我 想 请 你 帮 我 一 个 忙 。I want to ask you to do me a favor.
- 能 不 能 请 你 明天 照顾 一下 我 的 狗 ？Can I ask you to look after my dog tomorrow?
- 她 退学 使 她 父母 非常 失望 。Dropping out of school really disappointed her parents.
- 这 件 事 使 我 学到 了 很 多 。This piece of matter makes me learn a lot.
See also
Sources and further reading
Videos
- Yoyo Chinese: The word "rang"
Books
- Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 170-2) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (pp. 120-1) →buy
- 卓越汉语－公司实战篇 (p. 19) →buy
