兼语句
HSK 3- Causative
Structure (结构 jiégòu)
Meaning (意思 yìsi)
Pivotal sentences are used to express that someone causes, tells, or invites another person to do something.
Explanation (解释 jiěshì)
In a pivotal-object sentence (兼语句), the object of the first verb simultaneously serves as the subject of the second verb. This noun/pronoun standing in the middle position is called a "pivotal object" (兼语).
The first verb typically carries a meaning of commanding, requesting, or permitting — for example 请 (to invite), 叫 (to tell/ask), 让 (to let/allow), 派 (to send/dispatch), 使 (to cause/make). The second action is carried out by the pivotal object, not by the original subject.
Examples (例句 lìjù)(5)
- 老师叫我回答问题。繁: 老師叫我回答問題。Lǎoshī jiào wǒ huídá wèntí.
The teacher called on me to answer the question.
- 妈妈让我去买菜。繁: 媽媽讓我去買菜。Māma ràng wǒ qù mǎi cài.
My mother told me to go buy groceries.
- 我请朋友看电影。繁: 我請朋友看電影。Wǒ qǐng péngyou kàn diànyǐng.
I invited my friends to watch a movie.
- 公司派他去北京。Gōngsī pài tā qù Běijīng.
The company sent him to Beijing.
- 这个消息使大家很高兴。繁: 這個消息使大家很高興。Zhège xiāoxi shǐ dàjiā hěn gāoxìng.
This news made everyone very happy.
Common mistakes
- Wrong:老师叫回答问题我。Correct:老师叫我回答问题。
The object being wrongly causativized (我) must immediately follow the causative verb (叫) and precede the action being performed (回答问题).
- Wrong:我请他，然后看电影。Correct:我请他看电影。
This structure does not require conjunctions like "rồi" or "sau đó". The two verb phrases are naturally connected through a "conjunctive object."