Difference between revisions of "Causative verbs"
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
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*<em>让</em> 他 走 ！<span class="pinyin"><em>Ràng</em> tā zǒu!</span><span class="trans">Ask him to leave!</span>
+
*你 为什么 不 <em>让</em> 我 去 ？<span class="trans">Why wouldn't you let me go there?</span>
 +
*他 偷偷 约 别的 女生 吃饭 ，你 <em>叫</em> 我 怎么 想 ？<span class="trans">He secretly asked other girls out for dinner. What do you expect me to think?</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>
 
*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>
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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>
 
 
*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>
 
*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>
 
*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>
 
*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>
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*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>
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*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>
 
*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>
 
*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>
  

Revision as of 08:34, 3 November 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)

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 + Adv. + Adj.

or

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

Examples

  • 你 为什么 不 让 我 去 ？Why wouldn't you let me go there?
  • 他 偷偷 约 别的 女生 吃饭 ，你 叫 我 怎么 想 ？He secretly asked other girls out for dinner. What do you expect me to think?
  • 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 就是 不 听话 ，你 叫 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 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?
  • 老板 决定 请 你 当 主持人 。Lǎobǎn juédìng qǐng nǐ dāng zhǔchírén.The boss decided to ask you to be the host.
  • 你 的 态度 使 老板 很 失望 。Nǐ de tàidu shǐ lǎobǎn hěn shīwàng.Your attitude really disappointed the boss.
  • 这 件 事 使 我 学到 了 很 多 。Zhè jiàn shì shǐ wǒ xuédào le hěn duō.This piece of matter makes me learn a lot.

See also

Sources and further reading

Videos

Books


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