Topic + 让 + Object + Verb
Reach for this when one thing causes someone to do, feel, or become something else — 'make X V,' 'let X V.' 让 is the workhorse causative verb in Chinese. Use it for emotional reactions ('this movie makes me cry'), permissions ('let me see'), assignments ('the teacher made the kids stand up'), and natural outcomes ('the news made everyone happy'). Everyday register — works everywhere from casual chat to news to formal writing.
Structure
Topic/Subject + 让 + Object (the person affected) + Verb (what they do/feel)
ràng
How to Think About It
让 hands the action off. Think of it as a relay baton: the topic triggers something, but the verb is actually done by the object. 'This movie makes me cry' — the movie is the trigger, but 'cry' is done by 'me.' Chinese parses this cleanly: 这部电影让我哭. The trigger comes before 让; the doer and the action come after. No need for English's 'makes' + base verb gymnastics.
Examples
这部电影让我哭了。
Zhè bù diànyǐng ràng wǒ kū le.
This movie made me cry.
妈妈让我早点回家。
Māma ràng wǒ zǎo diǎn huí jiā.
Mom told me to come home early.
这个消息让大家很高兴。
Zhège xiāoxi ràng dàjiā hěn gāoxìng.
This news made everyone very happy.
对不起，让你久等了。
Duìbuqǐ, ràng nǐ jiǔ děng le.
Sorry to have kept you waiting so long.
Common Mistake
Learners insert prepositions or particles between 让 and the object because English uses 'make me to do' or 'cause me to do.' 让 takes the doer directly — no 的, no 把, no infinitive marker.
这件事让了我很难过。
这件事让我很难过。
Don't Confuse With
Topic + 使 + Object + Verb
More formal/written version of 让. Same structure, but 使 sounds bookish — common in news, essays, advertising. 让 is the everyday choice.
Topic + 叫 + Object + Verb
Casual/colloquial alternative — 'have someone do something.' Closer to a direct instruction ('I had him bring the book'). 让 is more general and emotional-causative-friendly.
把 + Object + Verb
Disposal/handling structure — the subject does something TO the object. 让 hands action off to the object; 把 keeps the subject as the doer acting on the object.
Practice
Fill in: 这首歌 ___ 我很开心。
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让
Arrange: 让 / 我 / 老师 / 站起来
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老师让我站起来。
Translate to Chinese: This book made me think a lot.
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这本书让我想了很多。
Use 让 to describe something that made you feel an emotion this week.
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周末的电影让我很感动。
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 1 Fluentide episode:
Related Grammar Patterns
Acquire by listening
Hear Topic + 让 + Object + Verb in real Chinese, not in a textbook.
Fluentide picks the next news episode at your level, so this pattern shows up again and again in real context. The transcript marks it, the audio drills it. Free to start, no card.