Difference between revisions of "Causative verbs"

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Causative verbs are used to cause or influence people to do things. In English, these are verbs like "make," "let," "have," and "get," when used in a sentence like "get Billy to eat a live worm."  
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Causative verbs are verbs that cause people to do things, surprisingly enough. 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:
 
The most common causative verbs in Chinese are:
  
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* 让
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* 让 (ràng)
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* 叫
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* 叫 (jiào)
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* 使
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* 请 (qǐng)
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* 请
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* 使 (shǐ)
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Make sure to take note of the different meanings and levels of formality. For example, 使 and 让 when used as causative verbs basically mean the same thing (to make) but 使 is used in more formal or written Chinese while 让 is used more in spoken Chinese.
 
  
 
== Structure ==
 
== Structure ==
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
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Subj. + [Causative Verb] + Person + Predicate
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</div>
  
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Subject + Causative verb + Noun/Pronoun + VO
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The [[predicate]] part of the pattern can be a verb or an adjective.
  
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</div>
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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.
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== "Make" vs. "Let" ==
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It's worth noting that 让 is the most common causative verb in spoken Mandarin and is often translated into English as either "make" or "let." It may seem strange to speakers of English that these two very different words are the same word in Chinese. "Make" is kind of like forcing, and "let" is kind of like allowing, right? But in Chinese, the context generally makes clear how willing the object of the causative verb is. It's just something that takes time for learners to get used to.
  
 
== Examples ==
 
== Examples ==
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
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* 老师<em>让</em> 我们 去图书馆  借书。<span class="trans">The teacher asked us to go to the library and borrow books.</span>
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*你 为什么 不 <em>让</em> 我 去 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ wèishénme bù <em>ràng</em> wǒ qù?</span><span class="trans">Why won't you let me go?</span>
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* 这 部 电影 很 <em>让</em> 人 很 感动。<span class="trans">This movie really moved 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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* 她 退学 的 事情 <em>使</em> 她 父母 非常 失望。<span class="trans">Dropping out of school really disappointed her parents.</span>
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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 made me think of my grandpa.</span>
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* 这件事情的 解决 <em>使</em>他 最近 轻松了 很多。<span class="trans">The solution to this problem has made him feel more relaxed these days.</span>
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*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 won't listen. What would you have me do?</span>
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* 就 这么 点儿 工资！ 你 <em>叫</em> 我 怎么 活？<span class="trans">My salary is so small! How do you expect me to live?</span>
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*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. Tell me what I'm supposed to think.</span>
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* 你 <em>叫</em> 我到哪儿去给你弄这么多钱？<span class="trans">Where am I supposed to go and get such a large sum of money?</span>
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*你 儿子 在 学校 的 表现 <em>叫</em> 老师 很 头疼 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ érzi zài xuéxiào de biǎoxiàn <em>jiào</em> lǎoshī hěn tóuténg.</span><span class="trans">Your son's behavior at school gives the teacher quite a headache.</span>
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* 我 <em>请</em> 他 过来 帮 我 修 电脑。<span class="trans">I asked him to come and help me fix the computer.</span>
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*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>
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*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 zhàogù yīxià wǒ de gǒu?</span><span class="trans">Can I ask you to look after my dog tomorrow?</span>
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*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>
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*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 companies to go out of business and also caused many people to lose their jobs.</span>
  
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</div>
  
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</div>
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Obviously, not every causative verb maps perfectly to an English causative verb. You can see from these examples than in some cases the natural English translation doesn't even need a causative verb.
  
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==See also==
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== See also ==
  
 
* [[Passive voice]]
 
* [[Passive voice]]
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=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
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* [[Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition]] (pp. 170-2) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615 →buy]
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{{Source|HSK Standard Course 3|163}}
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* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2]] (pp. 120-1) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276881/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0887276881 →buy]
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{{Source|HSK Standard Course 4上|93}}
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*[[卓越汉语－公司实战篇]] (p. 19) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E5%8D%93%E8%B6%8A%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD-%E5%85%AC%E5%8F%B8%E5%AE%9E%E6%88%98%E7%AF%87-%E8%83%A1%E7%81%B5%E5%9D%87/dp/B003QZWQ6M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347863170&sr=8-1 →buy]
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{{Source|Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition|170-2}}
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{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2|120-1}}
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{{Source|卓越汉语－公司实战篇|19}}
  
  
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
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{{HSK|HSK3}}
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{{HSK|HSK4}}
 
[[Category:Verbs]]
 
[[Category:Verbs]]
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{{Basic Grammar|让|B1|Subj. + 让 / 叫 / 请 / 使 + Person + Predicate|你 为什么 不 <em>让</em> 我 去 ？|grammar point|ASG5T7XC}}
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{{Basic Grammar|让|B1|N1 + 让/叫/请 + N2……|他 <em>让</em> 儿子 看 书。你 为什么 不 <em>让</em> 我 去？|grammar point|ASG5T7XC}}
 
 
{{Rel char|叫}}
 
{{Rel char|叫}}
 
{{Rel char|请}}
 
{{Rel char|请}}

Latest revision as of 03:19, 11 March 2019

Causative verbs are used to cause or influence people to do things. In English, these are verbs like "make," "let," "have," and "get," when used in a sentence like "get Billy to eat a live worm."

The most common causative verbs in Chinese are:

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

Structure

Subj. + [Causative Verb] + Person + Predicate

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

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.

"Make" vs. "Let"

It's worth noting that 让 is the most common causative verb in spoken Mandarin and is often translated into English as either "make" or "let." It may seem strange to speakers of English that these two very different words are the same word in Chinese. "Make" is kind of like forcing, and "let" is kind of like allowing, right? But in Chinese, the context generally makes clear how willing the object of the causative verb is. It's just something that takes time for learners to get used to.

Examples

  • 你 为什么 不 让 我 去 ？Nǐ wèishénme bù ràng wǒ qù?Why won't you let me go?
  • 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 made me think of my grandpa.
  • 他 不 听话 ，你 叫 我 怎么办 ？Tā bù tīnghuà, nǐ jiào wǒ zěnmebàn?He won't listen. What would you have me 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. Tell me what I'm supposed to think.
  • 你 儿子 在 学校 的 表现 叫 老师 很 头疼 。Nǐ érzi zài xuéxiào de biǎoxiàn jiào lǎoshī hěn tóuténg.Your son's behavior at school gives the teacher quite a 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 zhàogù 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 companies to go out of business and also caused many people to lose their jobs.

Obviously, not every causative verb maps perfectly to an English causative verb. You can see from these examples than in some cases the natural English translation doesn't even need a causative verb.

See also

Sources and further reading

Videos

Books


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