让 / 叫 / 请 / 使 (causative)
IntroducedFollow who experiences the resulting state
- A kind action makes you feel moved.
- this这(measure word)件matter事make使me我very很moved感动。 — The action causes the speaker's feeling of being moved.
A kind action makes you feel moved. What does 这件事使我很感动。 communicate?
The action causes the speaker's feeling of being moved. 使 is formal and 让 often works in ordinary speech. 请 asks and 让 can permit, so all four causative-looking verbs are not freely interchangeable.
Build the form
- The pattern in this lesson is to let / make让 / variant of 叫叫 / to ask请 / make使 (causative). Locate it in the original interlinear examples below.
- Keep the words in their demonstrated positions; the pattern must fit the intended situation as well as the sentence form.
this这(measure word)件matter事make使me我very很moved感动。
Using the lesson pattern in this demonstrated example: This moved me deeply: 这件事 ____ 我很感动。
Both 使我很感动 and 让我很感动 are natural; 使 has a more formal preference.
Read examples in context
- In the opening example, this这(measure word)件matter事make使me我very很moved感动。: The action causes the speaker's feeling of being moved.
- Explain who acts, what is described and which time or group is relevant before choosing an English paraphrase.
Which is the formal one, common with feelings?
使 = formal / written (often emotions); 让 = everyday.
Know the boundary
- make使 is formal and to let / make让 often works in ordinary speech.
- to ask请 asks and to let / make让 can permit, so all four causative-looking verbs are not freely interchangeable.
The person sits between the causative verb and the next predicate.
Yes — Subj + 使 / 让 + Person + Predicate.
In the opening situation: The action causes the speaker's feeling of being moved.
使 is formal and 让 often works in ordinary speech. 请 asks and 让 can permit, so all four causative-looking verbs are not freely interchangeable. The action causes the speaker's feeling of being moved.
Use the distinction
- The action causes the speaker's feeling of being moved.
- make使 is formal and to let / make让 often works in ordinary speech. to ask请 asks and to let / make让 can permit, so all four causative-looking verbs are not freely interchangeable.
Read the full reference: HSK 4 grammar — Verbs.
A kind action makes you feel moved. Close the examples. Say a Mandarin response, then write it in Chinese. Explain briefly in English what the lesson’s pattern adds. Compare with the model, then change one detail and try again.
This is supported productive practice. Compare meaning and structure; your answer need not copy the model. A partner or teacher must hear the spoken response to comment on pronunciation.