<p>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.</p> <p>The most common causative verbs in Chinese are:</p> <ul> <li>让 (ràng)</li> <li>叫 (jiào)</li> <li>使 (shǐ)</li> <li>请 (qǐng)</li> </ul> <p>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.</p> <h2 id="structure">Structure</h2> <div class="jiegou"> <p>Subj. + Causative Verb + Noun / Pronoun + Verb-Obj.</p> </div> <h2 id="examples">Examples</h2> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li>老师<em>让</em> 我们 去图书馆 借书。<span class="pinyin">Lǎoshī <em>ràng</em> wǒmen qù túshū guǎn jiè shū.</span><span class="trans">The teacher let us to go to the library and borrow books.</span></li> <li>这 部 电影 很 <em>让</em> 人 很 感动。<span class="pinyin">Zhè bù diànyǐng hěn <em>ràng</em> rén hěn gǎndòng.</span><span class="trans">This movie really moves people.</span></li> <li>她 退学 的 事情 <em>使</em> 她 父母 非常 失望。<span class="pinyin">Tā tuìxué de shìqing <em>shǐ</em> tā fùmǔ fēicháng shīwàng.</span><span class="trans">Dropping out of school really disappointed her parents.</span></li> <li>这件事情的 解决 <em>使</em>他 最近 轻松了 很多。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn shìqing de jiějué <em>shǐ</em> tā zuìjìn qīngsōng le hěn duō.</span><span class="trans">The solution to this problem has made him feel more relaxed these days.</span></li> <li>就 这么 点儿 工资！ 你 <em>叫</em> 我 怎么 活？<span class="pinyin">Jiù zhème diǎn er gōngzī! Nǐ <em>jiào</em> wǒ zěnme huó?</span><span class="trans">Only this little salary! How do you expect me to live?</span></li> <li>你 <em>叫</em> 我到哪儿去给你弄这么多钱？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>jiào</em> wǒ dào nǎr qù gěi nǐ nòng zhème duō qián?</span><span class="trans">Where do you expect me to go get you such a large sum of money?</span></li> <li>我 <em>请</em> 他 过来 帮 我 修 电脑。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>qǐng</em> tā guòlái bāng wǒ xiū diànnǎo.</span><span class="trans">I asked him to come and help me fix the computer.</span></li> <li>为 了 去 舞会，她 <em>请</em> 了 一位 化妆师 来 帮 她 化妆。<span class="pinyin">Wèi le qù wǔhuì, tā <em>qǐng</em> le yī wèi huàzhuāng shī lái bāng tā huàzhuāng.</span><span class="trans"> In preparation for the ball, she invited a makeup artist to help her put on makeup.</span></li> </ul> </div> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul> <li><a href="Passive_voice" title="wikilink">Passive voice</a></li> </ul> <h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further reading</h2> <h3 id="videos">Videos</h3> <ul> <li>Yoyo Chinese: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qNgtnMWOd8&list=PL94A5E422FB99CDDD">The word "rang"</a></li> </ul> <h3 id="books">Books</h3> <ul> <li><a href="Chinese:_An_Essential_Grammar,_Second_Edition" title="wikilink">Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition</a> (pp. 170-2) <a href="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</a></li> <li><a href="Integrated_Chinese:_Level_2,_Part_2" title="wikilink">Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2</a> (pp. 120-1) <a href="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</a></li> <li><a href="卓越汉语－公司实战篇" class="uri" title="wikilink">卓越汉语－公司实战篇</a> (p. 19) <a href="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</a></li> </ul> <p><a href="Category:B1_grammar_points" title="wikilink">Category:B1 grammar points</a> <a href="Category:Verbs" class="uri" title="wikilink">Category:Verbs</a></p>