Difference between revisions of "Causative verbs"
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*那个 老人 <em>让</em> 我 想到 了 我 爷爷 。<span class="pinyin">Nàge lǎorén <em>ràng</em> wǒ xiǎng dào le wǒ yéye.</span><span class="trans">That old man makes me think about my grandpa.</span>
 
*那个 老人 <em>让</em> 我 想到 了 我 爷爷 。<span class="pinyin">Nàge lǎorén <em>ràng</em> wǒ xiǎng dào le wǒ yéye.</span><span class="trans">That old man makes me think about my grandpa.</span>
 
*他 不 听话 ，你 <em>叫</em> 我 怎么办 ？<span class="pinyin">Tā bù tīnghuà, nǐ <em>jiào</em> wǒ zěnmebàn?</span><span class="trans">He wouldn't listen to me. What are you expecting me to do?</span>
 
*他 不 听话 ，你 <em>叫</em> 我 怎么办 ？<span class="pinyin">Tā bù tīnghuà, nǐ <em>jiào</em> wǒ zěnmebàn?</span><span class="trans">He wouldn't listen to me. What are you expecting me to do?</span>
−
*他 偷偷 约 别的 女生 吃饭 ，你 <em>叫</em> 我 怎么 想 ？<span class="pinyin">Tā tōutōu yuē bié de nǚshēng chīfàn, nǐ <em>jiào</em> wǒ zěnme xiǎng?</span><span class="trans">He secretly asked other girls out for dinner. What do you expect me to think?</span>
+
*他 偷偷 约 别的 女孩 ，你 <em>叫</em> 我 怎么 想 ？<span class="pinyin">Tā tōutōu yuē bié de nǚhái, nǐ <em>jiào</em> wǒ zěnme xiǎng?</span><span class="trans">He secretly asked other girls out. What are you expecting me to think?</span>
 +
*你 儿子 在 学校 的 表现 <em>叫</em>  老师 都 很 头疼 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ érzi zài xuéxiào de biǎoxiàn <em>jiào</em> lǎoshī dōu hěn tóuténg.</span><span class="trans">Your son's behaviors at school give the teacher a lot of headache.</span>
 
*我 想 <em>请</em> 你 帮 我 一 个 忙 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiǎng <em>qǐng</em> nǐ bāng wǒ yī gè máng.</span><span class="trans">I want to ask you to do me a favor.</span>
 
*我 想 <em>请</em> 你 帮 我 一 个 忙 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiǎng <em>qǐng</em> nǐ bāng wǒ yī gè máng.</span><span class="trans">I want to ask you to do me a favor.</span>
 
*能 不 能 <em>请</em> 你 明天 照顾 一下 我 的 狗 ？<span class="pinyin">Néng bu néng <em>qǐng</em> nǐ míngtiān zhàogu yīxià wǒ de gǒu?</span><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="pinyin">Néng bu néng <em>qǐng</em> nǐ míngtiān zhàogu yīxià wǒ de gǒu?</span><span class="trans">Can I ask you to look after my dog tomorrow?</span>
−
*老板 决定 <em>请</em> 你 当 主持人 。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn juédìng <em>qǐng</em> nǐ dāng zhǔchírén.</span><span class="trans">The boss decided to ask you to be the host.</span>
+
*他 的 演讲 <em>使</em> 听众 们 非常 激动 。<span class="pinyin">Tā de yǎnjiǎng <em>shǐ</em> tīngzhòng men fēicháng jīdòng.</span><span class="trans">His speech made the audience very excited.</span>
−
*你 的 态度 <em>使</em> 老板 很 失望 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ de tàidu <em>shǐ</em> lǎobǎn hěn shīwàng.</span><span class="trans">Your attitude really disappointed the boss.</span>
+
*经济 危机 <em>使</em> 很多 公司 倒闭 了 ，也 <em>使</em> 很多 人 失去 了 工作 。<span class="pinyin">Jīngjì wēijī <em>shǐ</em> hěn duō gōngsī dǎobì le, yě <em>shǐ</em> hěn duō rén shīqù le gōngzuò.</span><span class="trans">The financial crisis caused lot of company out of business, and many people lost their job because of this.</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 07:02, 21 December 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)
  • 请 (qǐng)
  • 使 (shǐ)

Structure

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.

Subj. + [Causative Verb] + Person + Predicate

The predicate part of the pattern can be a verb or an adjective.

Examples

  • 你 为什么 不 让 我 去 ？Nǐ wèishénme bù ràng wǒ qù?Why wouldn't you let me go there?
  • 这 部 电影 让 人 很 感动 。Zhè bù diànyǐng ràng rén hěn gǎndòng.This movie really moves people.
  • 那个 老人 让 我 想到 了 我 爷爷 。Nàge lǎorén ràng wǒ xiǎng dào le wǒ yéye.That old man makes me think about my grandpa.
  • 他 不 听话 ，你 叫 我 怎么办 ？Tā bù tīnghuà, nǐ jiào wǒ zěnmebàn?He wouldn't listen to me. What are you expecting me to do?
  • 他 偷偷 约 别的 女孩 ，你 叫 我 怎么 想 ？Tā tōutōu yuē bié de nǚhái, nǐ jiào wǒ zěnme xiǎng?He secretly asked other girls out. What are you expecting me to think?
  • 你 儿子 在 学校 的 表现 叫 老师 都 很 头疼 。Nǐ érzi zài xuéxiào de biǎoxiàn jiào lǎoshī dōu hěn tóuténg.Your son's behaviors at school give the teacher a lot of headache.
  • 我 想 请 你 帮 我 一 个 忙 。Wǒ xiǎng qǐng nǐ bāng wǒ yī gè máng.I want to ask you to do me a favor.
  • 能 不 能 请 你 明天 照顾 一下 我 的 狗 ？Néng bu néng qǐng nǐ míngtiān zhàogu yīxià wǒ de gǒu?Can I ask you to look after my dog tomorrow?
  • 他 的 演讲 使 听众 们 非常 激动 。Tā de yǎnjiǎng shǐ tīngzhòng men fēicháng jīdòng.His speech made the audience very excited.
  • 经济 危机 使 很多 公司 倒闭 了 ，也 使 很多 人 失去 了 工作 。Jīngjì wēijī shǐ hěn duō gōngsī dǎobì le, yě shǐ hěn duō rén shīqù le gōngzuò.The financial crisis caused lot of company out of business, and many people lost their job because of this.

See also

Sources and further reading

Videos

Books


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