Causative 使/让
Use 使 or 让 to express making or letting someone do something.
Pattern
Subject + 使/让 + Person + Verb/Adjective
Explanation
使 and 让 are both causative verbs meaning to make or to let. 让 is more colloquial and used in everyday speech, while 使 is more formal and often appears in written Chinese or formal contexts.
The key structure is: the subject causes the person after 使/让 to perform an action or enter a state. Unlike English, the caused person directly follows 使/让 without any preposition.
Examples
这件事让我很难过。
Zhè jiàn shì ràng wǒ hěn nánguò.
This matter made me very sad.
让 + person + adjective (emotional state).
老师让我们写一篇作文。
Lǎoshī ràng wǒmen xiě yì piān zuòwén.
The teacher had us write an essay.
这个消息使全国人民感到骄傲。
Zhège xiāoxi shǐ quánguó rénmín gǎndào jiāo'ào.
This news made the whole nation feel proud.
使 in formal/written context.
Common Mistakes
让我去让他。
让我去找他。
让 is a causative verb, not a general-purpose verb. Use specific verbs for the action.
使我写作业。
让我写作业。
使 is too formal for everyday commands. Use 让 in spoken Chinese.
Related Grammar
Practice this grammar with AI
Use this grammar pattern in a real conversation with our AI tutor.
Start Practicing