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Causative Verbs (사동사)

Quick Reference

Causative suffixes: -이-, -히-, -리-, -기-, -우-, -추-

Meaning: Make/let/have someone do something

  • 먹다 → 먹이다 (to feed)
  • 입다 → 입히다 (to dress someone)
  • 자다 → 재우다 (to put to sleep)
  • 앉다 → 앉히다 (to seat someone)

Detailed Explanation

What is Causative Voice?

Causative voice indicates that the subject causes or allows someone else to perform an action. Instead of doing something directly, you make or let someone else do it.

Structure: 

Subject + Object + 에게/한테 + Causative Verb
엄마가 아기에게 밥을 먹여요.
(Mom feeds the baby / makes the baby eat.)

Key Characteristics

  1. Indirect action: The subject doesn't perform the main action directly
  2. Object marker: Usually uses 에게, 한테 for the person being caused to act
  3. Dual interpretation: Can mean "make" (force) or "let" (allow)

-이- Causative Verbs

Active Verb Causative Verb Meaning
먹다 먹이다 to feed (make eat)
보다 보이다 to show (make see)
쌓다 쌓이다 to pile up (make stack)
쓰다 (write) 쓰이다 to make write
씻다 씻기다 to wash (someone)
신다 신기다 to put shoes on (someone)
벗다 벗기다 to take off (someone's clothes)

Examples:

  1. 엄마가 아기에게 밥을 먹여요. (Mom feeds the baby.)

  2. 선생님이 학생들에게 사진을 보여 주세요. (Teacher, please show the students the photo.)

  3. 아이에게 옷을 입혀야 해요. (I need to dress the child.)

  4. 할머니가 손자에게 신발을 신겨 주셨어요. (Grandma put shoes on her grandchild.)

  5. 아기를 씻겨야 돼요. (I have to wash the baby.)

-히- Causative Verbs

Active Verb Causative Verb Meaning
입다 입히다 to dress (someone)
읽다 읽히다 to make read
앉다 앉히다 to seat (someone)
맡다 맡기다 to entrust
맞다 맞히다 to make correct/guess
놓다 놓이다 to place, let go
숨다 숨기다 to hide (something)

Examples:

  1. 아이에게 따뜻한 옷을 입혔어요. (I dressed the child in warm clothes.)

  2. 선생님이 학생들에게 책을 읽혔어요. (The teacher had the students read the book.)

  3. 손님을 의자에 앉혔어요. (I seated the guest in a chair.)

  4. 아이를 할머니한테 맡겼어요. (I entrusted the child to grandma.)

  5. 정답을 맞혔어요. (I got the answer right / I guessed correctly.)

  6. 진실을 숨기면 안 돼요. (You shouldn't hide the truth.)

-리- Causative Verbs

Active Verb Causative Verb Meaning
울다 울리다 to make cry, to ring
알다 알리다 to inform, notify
날다 날리다 to fly (something)
살다 살리다 to save (a life)
돌다 돌리다 to turn (something)
물다 물리다 to make bite
밀다 밀리다 to push
걸다 걸리다 to hang (something)

Examples:

  1. 아기를 울렸어요. (I made the baby cry.)

  2. 종을 울렸어요. (I rang the bell.)

  3. 친구들에게 소식을 알렸어요. (I informed my friends of the news.)

  4. 연을 날렸어요. (I flew a kite.)

  5. 의사가 환자를 살렸어요. (The doctor saved the patient.)

  6. 손잡이를 돌렸어요. (I turned the handle.)

-기- Causative Verbs

Active Verb Causative Verb Meaning
안다 안기다 to hold (someone)
웃다 웃기다 to make laugh
옮다 옮기다 to move (something)
맡다 맡기다 to entrust
감다 감기다 to wrap
담다 담기다 to put in, fill

Examples:

  1. 아기를 안겼어요. (I held the baby / let someone hold the baby.)

  2. 친구가 저를 웃겼어요. (My friend made me laugh.)

  3. 책상을 옮겼어요. (I moved the desk.)

  4. 짐을 택배로 맡겼어요. (I entrusted the luggage to delivery service.)

-우- Causative Verbs

This suffix is used primarily with certain verbs where other suffixes don't apply.

Active Verb Causative Verb Meaning
자다 재우다 to put to sleep
서다 세우다 to stand (something) up, to stop
타다 (burn) 태우다 to burn (something)
타다 (ride) 태우다 to give a ride
깨다 깨우다 to wake (someone) up
맞다 맞추다 to adjust, match
춥다 춥히다 to make cold
맵다 맵히다 to make spicy

Examples:

  1. 아기를 재웠어요. (I put the baby to sleep.)

  2. 차를 세웠어요. (I stopped the car.)

  3. 쓰레기를 태웠어요. (I burned the trash.)

  4. 친구를 차에 태웠어요. (I gave my friend a ride in my car.)

  5. 동생을 깨웠어요. (I woke up my younger sibling.)

  6. 시계를 맞췄어요. (I set/adjusted the clock.)

-추- Causative Verbs

Less common suffix, mainly with adjectives.

Active Verb Causative Verb Meaning
낮다 낮추다 to lower
높다 높이다 to raise, heighten
넓다 넓히다 to widen
줄다 줄이다 to reduce
늘다 늘이다 to increase

Examples:

  1. 목소리를 낮췄어요. (I lowered my voice.)

  2. 가격을 높였어요. (They raised the price.)

  3. 도로를 넓혔어요. (They widened the road.)

  4. 지출을 줄였어요. (I reduced spending.)

  5. 근무 시간을 늘렸어요. (They increased working hours.)

Usage Context

Make vs. Let

Context determines whether causative means "make" (force) or "let" (allow):

Make (force): - 엄마가 저를 공부하게 했어요. (Mom made me study.) - 아이를 재웠어요. (I put the child to sleep - gently forced)

Let (allow): - 아이를 놀게 했어요. (I let the child play.) - 친구에게 책을 보여 줬어요. (I showed my friend the book - allowed to see)

Common Contexts

1. Childcare: - 먹이다 (feed), 씻기다 (wash), 입히다 (dress), 재우다 (put to sleep)

2. Service/Business: - 맡기다 (entrust), 태우다 (give a ride), 알리다 (notify)

3. Teaching: - 읽히다 (make read), 쓰게 하다 (make write), 배우게 하다 (make learn)

4. Adjustments: - 낮추다 (lower), 높이다 (raise), 줄이다 (reduce), 늘이다 (increase)

Practice

Translate the following using appropriate causative verbs:

  1. I need to feed the dog.

  2. Mom dressed my younger brother in new clothes.

  3. The teacher had the students read the textbook.

  4. I put the baby to sleep at 8 PM.

  5. Please show me your ID.

  6. I gave my friend a ride to the airport.

  7. The joke made everyone laugh.

  8. I woke up my roommate this morning.

  9. The company lowered prices.

  10. I entrusted my luggage to the hotel.

Show Answers 1. 개에게 밥을 먹여야 해요. 2. 엄마가 남동생에게 새 옷을 입혔어요. 3. 선생님이 학생들에게 교과서를 읽혔어요. 4. 8시에 아기를 재웠어요. 5. 신분증을 보여 주세요. 6. 친구를 공항에 태워 줬어요. 7. 그 농담이 모두를 웃겼어요. 8. 오늘 아침에 룸메이트를 깨웠어요. 9. 회사가 가격을 낮췄어요. 10. 호텔에 짐을 맡겼어요.