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- [Using the verb "jiao"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Using_the_verb_%22jiao%22) (A1)

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[Giving commands](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Giving_commands), [Sentence Patterns](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Sentence_Patterns)

Keywords

[让](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E8%AE%A9), [叫](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%8F%AB), [请](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E8%AF%B7), [使](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E4%BD%BF)

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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," 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)

Contents -------- [hide]([# "wikilink")\]

- [1 Structure](#Structure "wikilink") - [2 "Make" vs. "Let"](#.22Make.22_vs._.22Let.22 "wikilink") - [3 Examples](#Examples "wikilink") - [4 See also](#See_also "wikilink") - [5 Sources and further reading](#Sources_and_further_reading "wikilink") - [5.1 Videos](#Videos "wikilink") - [5.2 Books](#Books "wikilink")

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](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Predicate) part of the pattern can be a verb or an adjective. "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 understood concept generally makes clear how willing the object of the causative verb is. It's just something that takes time to get used to. 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* 老师很头疼。Nǐ érzi zài xuéxiào de biǎoxiàn *jiào* lǎoshī 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 ------------------------------------------------------- - [Passive voice](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Passive_voice) Sources and further reading --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ### Videos - Yoyo Chinese: [The word "rang"](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qNgtnMWOd8&list=PL94A5E422FB99CDDD) ### Books - [Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Chinese:_An_Essential_Grammar,_Second_Edition) (pp. 170-2) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2h67UYa) - [Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Integrated_Chinese:_Level_2,_Part_2) (pp. 120-1) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2ftpILV) - [卓越汉语－公司实战篇](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%8D%93%E8%B6%8A%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%EF%BC%8D%E5%85%AC%E5%8F%B8%E5%AE%9E%E6%88%98%E7%AF%87) (pp. 19) \[ →buy\] \

[Categories](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Special:Categories): - [B1 grammar points](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Category:B1_grammar_points) - [Verbs](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Category:Verbs)

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