让/叫/使 + Object + Verb

HSK 5

Structure (结构 jiégòu)

Subject让/叫/使ObjectVerb/Adjective

The structure 让/叫/使 is used to express causing someone or something to perform an action or undergo a change of state.

All three words mean "to cause," "to make," or "to have (someone do something)," but with different nuances:

让 (ràng): The most common; used in both spoken and written language. Can mean "to let/allow" or "to make/cause." Example: 妈妈让我去买菜 (Mom told me to go buy vegetables).
叫 (jiào): Mainly used in colloquial speech, carrying a sense of ordering or requesting someone to do something. Example: 老师叫我回答问题 (The teacher called on me to answer the question).
使 (shǐ): Formal; typically used in written language to express a cause producing a certain result, usually abstract. Example: 努力使他成功 (Hard work made him succeed).

妈妈让我去买菜。
繁: 媽媽讓我去買菜。Māma ràng wǒ qù mǎi cài.
Mom told me to go buy vegetables.
他的话让我很生气。
繁: 他的話讓我很生氣。Tā de huà ràng wǒ hěn shēngqì.
His words made me very angry.
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.
这次经历使我成长了。
繁: 這次經歷使我成長了。Zhè cì jīnglì shǐ wǒ chéngzhǎng le.
This experience has made me mature.
你让我再想一想。
繁: 你讓我再想一想。Nǐ ràng wǒ zài xiǎng yi xiǎng.
Let me think about it a bit more.

Wrong:他使我很开心。
Correct:他让我很开心。
使 is formal and typically used in written language, while 让 is much more natural in everyday spoken language.
Wrong:他让我他喜欢你。
Correct:他告诉我他喜欢你。
让 is not used to report speech. Use 告诉 (to tell/inform) to convey information.