Causative verbs

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:

• 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

Subject + Causative verb + Noun/Pronoun + VO

Examples

• 老师让 我们 去图书馆 借书。The teacher asked us to go to the library and borrow books.
• 这 部 电影 很 让 人 很 感动。This movie really moved people.
• 她 退学 的 事情 使 她 父母 非常 失望。Dropping out of school really disappointed her parents.
• 这件事情的 解决 使他 最近 轻松了 很多。The solution to this problem has made him feel more relaxed these days.
• 就 这么 点儿 工资！ 你 叫 我 怎么 活？My salary is so small! How do you expect me to live?
• 你 叫 我到哪儿去给你弄这么多钱？Where am I supposed to go and get such a large sum of money?
• 我 请 他 过来 帮 我 修 电脑。I asked him to come and help me fix the computer.

See also

• Passive voice

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