A 让 B + Verb
Reach for this when one thing causes another to do something or feel something — 'the news makes me sad,' 'war makes people afraid,' 'this song makes him smile.' A is the trigger, B is the person (or animal) on the receiving end, and the verb tells you what B ends up doing or feeling. This is the workhorse Chinese causative for emotional and behavioral effects.
Structure
[A: TRIGGER] 让 [B: PERSON] [VERB / FEELING]
ràng
How to Think About It
让 routes the action through a human (or human-like) middleman. A doesn't act directly — it makes B do or feel something, and B is where the real action happens. That's why B almost always needs to be a person or animate being. With non-living objects, switch to 把 (you act on it) or 使 (formal).
Examples
战争让很多人难过。
Zhànzhēng ràng hěn duō rén nánguò.
War makes many people sad.
这个消息让妈妈很担心。
Zhège xiāoxi ràng māma hěn dānxīn.
This news makes mom really worried.
老师让我们读课文。
Lǎoshī ràng wǒmen dú kèwén.
The teacher has us read the text.
Common Mistake
Learners forget to include B (the person being affected) and produce 这首歌让难过, which has no clear subject for the feeling. 让 needs both A (cause) and B (experiencer) on either side.
这首歌让难过。
这首歌让我很难过。
Don't Confuse With
A 使 B + Verb/Adjective
Same causative meaning, formal/written register. Use 使 in essays; 让 in conversation.
A 把 B + Verb
Use 把 when A directly acts on B (a thing); use 让 when A causes B (a person) to do or feel something.
A 叫 B + Verb
叫 leans toward 'tell/order someone to' — sharper command tone than the neutral 让.
Practice
这部电影_____ 我哭了。 (made)
Show answer
让
爸爸不让_____ 玩游戏。 (object: me)
Show answer
我
Arrange: 让 / 高兴 / 朋友 / 很 / 的话 / 我
Show answer
朋友的话让我很高兴。
Translate: His words made everyone laugh.
Show answer
他的话让大家都笑了。
Write a sentence about something that makes you happy using A 让 B + verb.
Show answer
听音乐让我很放松。
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 1 Fluentide episode: