让 (ràng) + Person + Verb
Reach for this when you want to say one person makes, lets, or has another person do something — the everyday causative. 让 covers a wide range: forcing ('the boss made me stay late'), allowing ('let me try'), inviting ('let her come in'), and even causing a feeling ('that movie made me cry'). It's one of the most-used HSK 2 verbs and shows up constantly in commands, requests, and reactions.
Structure
[SUBJECT] 让 [PERSON] [VERB] ([OBJECT])
ràng [PERSON] [VERB]
How to Think About It
让 doesn't pin down exactly how the causing happens — it could be force, permission, or simple cause-and-effect. The context decides whether you're commanding ('don't make me wait'), permitting ('let her speak'), or just describing an effect ('this song makes me happy'). One word, three relationships — Chinese leaves it up to the situation.
Examples
妈妈让我早点睡觉。
Māma ràng wǒ zǎodiǎn shuìjiào.
Mom told me to go to bed earlier.
老师让学生回答问题。
Lǎoshī ràng xuésheng huídá wèntí.
The teacher had the student answer the question.
这个电影让我很感动。
Zhè ge diànyǐng ràng wǒ hěn gǎndòng.
This movie made me very moved.
Common Mistake
Learners put the verb where they'd put it in English ('let me to know'), inserting 是 or adding extra particles. 让 is followed directly by the person, then directly by the verb — no 是, no 去, no 把 in between.
他让我去是学中文。
他让我学中文。
Don't Confuse With
叫 (jiào) + Person + Verb
Same causative shape, but 叫 leans more toward 'tell/ask someone to' — feels slightly more like an instruction. 让 covers permission and effect too.
使 (shǐ) + Person + Verb/Adjective
Formal/written causative. 使 is heavy and abstract ('to cause'); 让 is conversational and natural. Use 使 mostly with feelings and effects in writing.
请 (qǐng) + Person + Verb
Polite invitation ('please…'). 请 is respectful; 让 is neutral and can sound directive if the tone is firm.
Practice
Fill in the blank: 老师 ____ 我们写作业。
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让
Fill in the blank: 这件事让他很 ____ 。
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高兴
Arrange into a sentence: 让 / 爸爸 / 我 / 帮 / 做饭 / 妈妈
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爸爸让我帮妈妈做饭。
Translate to Chinese: My friend let me use his computer.
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我的朋友让我用他的电脑。
Use 让 + Person + Verb to describe something someone made or asked you to do today.
Show answer
今天老板让我加班。
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 1 Fluentide episode:
Related Grammar Patterns
Acquire by listening
Hear 让 (ràng) + Person + Verb in real Chinese, not in a textbook.
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