Ch 26 · Lesson 8Mandarin · Chapter 26 · Lesson 8 · Grammar primer
Causatives: 让 and 使
Two jobs English calls make. A person getting someone to act takes : . A cause bringing a feeling takes in speech, in writing.
The short version
。Māma ràng wǒ zǎodiǎn huíjiā.
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English 'make' does two jobs. A person getting someone to act, or letting them, takes (ràng). A cause producing a feeling or a state takes (ràng) in speech and (shǐ) in writing: (yùndòng shǐ rén jiànkāng), exercise makes people healthy. (shǐ) never gives an order.
The whole system on one screen
The colours stay the same all page long:
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
。 | Zhè jiàn shì ràng wǒ hěn shēngqì. | This made me really angry (speech) |
。 | Zhè jiàn shì shǐ wǒ hěn shēngqì. | This made me very angry (writing) |
。 | Zhè jiàn shì lìng wǒ hěn shēngqì. | This angered me (writing) |
。 | Māma ràng wǒ zǎodiǎn huíjiā. | Mum made me come home early (only ) |
- 让 ràng: everywhere
- 使 shǐ: writing
- 令 lìng: writing, above all in 令人
All three share one shape: cause + marker + the person affected + the result.
Two jobs English calls "make"
Ask first which "make" you mean:
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
。 | Zhège xiāoxi ràng dàjiā dōu hěn gāoxìng. | The news made everyone happy (speech) |
。 | Zhège xiāoxi shǐ dàjiā dōu hěn gāoxìng. | The news made everyone happy (writing) |
。 | Lǎoshī ràng wǒmen xiě yì piān wénzhāng. | The teacher had us write an essay |
The first two are a cause bringing a feeling: (ràng) in speech, (shǐ) in writing. The last is a person getting people to act: only (ràng), or (jiào), will do.
让 (ràng): make, and let
(ràng) is the causative you will hear all day. It covers "make" and "let" alike, and only the situation tells you which:
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
。 | Māma bú ràng wǒ wǎnshang chūqù. | Mum doesn't let me go out in the evening |
。 | Ràng wǒ kànkan. | Let me have a look |
。 | Bié ràng tā zhīdào. | Don't let him know |
。 | Zhè jù huà ràng wǒ hěn bù shūfu. | That remark made me uneasy |
The negative goes before (ràng): (bú ràng), won't let; (méi ràng), didn't make or let; (bié ràng), don't let.
使 (shǐ): the written cause
(shǐ) takes a thing, an event or an idea as the cause, and a state or an ability as the result:
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
。 | Yùndòng shǐ rén jiànkāng. | Exercise makes people healthy |
。 | Zhè cì jīnglì shǐ wǒ míngbai le hěn duō. | This experience taught me a great deal |
。 | Wǎngluò shǐ wǒmen nénggòu gēn hěn duō guójiā de rén jiāoliú. | The internet lets us talk to people in many countries |
(shǐ) + person + (nénggòu), be able to, is a staple of formal writing. What cannot do is give an order: 。 (Wǒ ràng tā míngtiān zǎodiǎn lái.), I told him to come early tomorrow, takes (ràng), never .
Going further: 令 (lìng) and 令人 (lìngrén) and the rest of the guide, when you want them. This lesson does not need them.
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