Causatives
Korean Grammar 3
Course 3 · Chapter 4 · Causative: -이/히/리/기/우- and -게 하다
🔀 Causatives — 사동
Korean Grammar 3 1 (The Voice Map) showed that in a causative sentence a new subject makes or lets someone else act. Korean builds the causative in two main ways: a suffix on the verb (the four passive suffixes plus -우-, -구-, -추-), and the helper pattern -게 하다 / -게 만들다, which works with any verb or adjective. The two are not interchangeable, and this chapter shows when each fits.
The causative suffixes
| Suffix | Base verb | Causative | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| -이- | 먹다 | 먹이다 | feed |
| 보다 | 보이다 | show | |
| 죽다 | 죽이다 | kill | |
| 줄다 | 줄이다 | reduce | |
| -히- | 입다 | 입히다 | dress (someone) |
| 앉다 | 앉히다 | seat (someone) | |
| 눕다 | 눕히다 | lay down | |
| 넓다 | 넓히다 | widen | |
| -리- | 울다 | 울리다 | make cry |
| 살다 | 살리다 | save, bring to life | |
| 알다 | 알리다 | inform | |
| 돌다 | 돌리다 | turn, spin | |
| -기- | 웃다 | 웃기다 | make laugh |
| 벗다 | 벗기다 | undress (someone) | |
| 씻다 | 씻기다 | wash (someone) | |
| 남다 | 남기다 | leave behind | |
| -우- | 자다 | 재우다 | put to sleep |
| 깨다 | 깨우다 | wake (someone) | |
| 타다 | 태우다 | give a ride; burn | |
| 서다 | 세우다 | stand (something) up, stop | |
| -구- | 달다 | 달구다 | heat up (a pan) |
| -추- | 맞다 | 맞추다 | fit, adjust |
| 낮다 | 낮추다 | lower | |
| 늦다 | 늦추다 | delay, postpone |
As with the passive, the suffix cannot be predicted from the sound of the verb: learn each causative as its own word. Note that adjectives can take a causative suffix too (높다 → 높이다 "raise", 낮다 → 낮추다 "lower"), and that intransitive verbs are the most common bases.
What changes in the sentence
| Base verb | Active | Causative |
|---|---|---|
| intransitive | 아기가 자요. The baby sleeps. | 엄마가 아기를 재워요. The mother puts the baby to sleep. |
| intransitive | 아이가 웃어요. The child laughs. | 삼촌이 아이를 웃겨요. The uncle makes the child laugh. |
| transitive | 아기가 밥을 먹어요. The baby eats rice. | 엄마가 아기에게 밥을 먹여요. The mother feeds the baby. |
| transitive | 아이가 옷을 입어요. The child puts on clothes. | 엄마가 아이에게 옷을 입혀요. The mother dresses the child. |
With an intransitive base, the person who acts becomes the object (을/를). With a transitive base, the original object stays and the person who acts takes 에게.
-게 하다 and -게 만들다
Attach -게 to the stem of any verb or adjective, then add 하다 or 만들다.
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| verb + -게 하다 | have, let, make someone do | 선생님이 학생에게 책을 읽게 했어요. The teacher had the student read the book. |
| adjective + -게 하다 | make something so | 방을 따뜻하게 했어요. I warmed up the room. |
| verb + -게 만들다 | make, bring it about that | 그 영화는 저를 울게 만들었어요. That film made me cry. |
| verb + -게 해 주다 | let, allow (as a favour) | 부모님이 저를 놀게 해 주셨어요. My parents let me play. |
Suffix or -게 하다?
| Suffix causative | -게 하다 | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical meaning | the causer acts directly on the person (feeds, dresses, wakes) | the causer instructs, allows or arranges; the other person acts |
| Available for | only the verbs that have the suffix form | any verb or adjective |
| Example | 엄마가 아이에게 옷을 입혔어요. Mother dressed the child. | 엄마가 아이에게 옷을 입게 했어요. Mother had the child put on clothes (the child dressed). |
Honorific and causative together
The honorific -(으)시- goes on whichever verb belongs to the person you are honouring. In a -게 하다 sentence there are two verbs, so you choose:
| Who is honoured | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| the causer (teacher, boss) | -게 하시다 | 선생님께서 학생에게 책을 읽게 하셨어요. The teacher had the student read. |
| the person made to act (a senior) | -(으)시게 하다 | 어머니를 편히 쉬시게 했어요. I let my mother rest comfortably. |
| both | -(으)시게 하시다 | possible but heavy; avoid in speech |
🗣️ In Use — 실제 예문
Three exchanges with causatives.
① Putting a child to bed
② A comedian
③ A rule at work
📋 Quick Reference — 요약표
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -이/히/리/기/우/구/추- | suffix causative (direct) | 먹이다, 입히다, 웃기다, 재우다 |
| -게 하다 | have, let, make | 읽게 하다 |
| -게 만들다 | bring about | 울게 만들다 |
| -게 해 주다 | let (permission as a favour) | 놀게 해 주다 |
| intransitive base | person takes 을/를 | 아기를 재우다 |
| transitive base | person takes 에게 | 아기에게 밥을 먹이다 |
✏️ Try It Yourself — 연습
Work out the answer first, then click to check.
1. Give the causative of 자다, 깨다, 웃다, 입다.
Show answer
재우다 · 깨우다 · 웃기다 · 입히다
2. Turn into the causative: 아기가 밥을 먹어요 (mother as causer).
Show answer
엄마가 아기에게 밥을 먹여요.
3. Turn into the causative: 동생이 일어났어요 ("my younger sibling got up"; I woke them using 깨우다).
Show answer
제가 동생을 깨웠어요. (Intransitive base: the person takes 을/를.)
4. Say "The teacher had the students read" with -게 하다.
Show answer
선생님이 학생들에게 책을 읽게 했어요.
5. Say "That song made me cry" with -게 만들다.
Show answer
그 노래는 저를 울게 만들었어요.
6. Say "My parents let me go" clearly as permission.
Show answer
부모님이 저를 가게 해 주셨어요.
7. What is the difference between 옷을 입혔어요 and 옷을 입게 했어요?
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입혔어요: the causer dressed the person directly. 입게 했어요: the causer told or arranged it and the person dressed themselves.
8. Where does -시- go in "The teacher had the student read"?
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On the verb of the causer: 읽게 하셨어요.
9. Is 보이다 passive or causative in 친구에게 사진을 보여 줬어요?
Show answer
Causative ("showed"): there is a causer subject and 에게 marks the person who sees.