Causative Verbs

publicado por G AB Y LEV Y el 23/05/2014

En esta entrada me gustara compartir un tema que

muchos consideran como un verdadero dolor de cabeza:
Los causative verbs.
Si bien es una estructura difcil de comprender a un
principio, te aseguro que con la prctica logrars
dominarla. Asi que, sin ms que agregar, comenzamos:
Las oraciones con causative verbs, son aquellas en las
que expresas una accin que afecta a una persona o a un
objeto y que es, ha sido o ser realizada por una tercera
persona. Tambin se pueden utilizar en el sentido de
convencer u obligar a alguien a hacer algo.
Por ejemplo:
The director doesnt wash his car himself; he has it
washed twice a week. (El director no lava su coche l
mismo; se lo lavan dos veces por semana.)

Ana had her hair cut last week. (A Ana le cortaron el

cabello la semana pasada.)

Susans parents made her do her homework. (Los

padres de Susana la hicieron hacer tu tarea.)

David is going to have his house painted next month.

(A David le van a pintar su casa el mes que entra.)
Si observas bien, no se puede hacer una traduccin literal
al espaol, ya que la frase pierde sentido si la traducimos
tal cual. Es justamente por esto, que a muchos
hispanohablantes se les dificulta aprender esta estructura.

Pero
Cul es la forma ms sencilla de aprender los
causative verbs?
Una forma sencilla es memorizando la frmula para
construir la oracin, visualizar la accin e
indiscutiblemente: practicando.
A continuacin encontrars la explicacin de los causative
verbs: make, havey get, as como sus frmulas
correspondientes y ejemplos prcticos para su
comprensin.

Causative verb: Make

Make expresa la idea de que el sujeto principal (en la
oracin) hace que una tercera persona haga algo
o
que un objeto haga algo como resultado de una accin
realizada por una persona.
Frmula: Sujeto+make (made)+persona u objeto+verbo
en presente*
Ejemplo: Robert+ make (made)+ the team+ stay after
the meeting.

Robert made the team stay after the meeting.

(Roberto hizo que el equipo se quedara despus de la
reunin.)

The doctor made her do the effort test. (El mdico

hizo que ella realizara la prueba de esfuerzo.)

I made the telephone work. (Hice que el telfono

funcionara.)

Jimmy made the guitar sound great. (Jimmy hizo que

la guitarra sonara fantstica.)
*la regla de la s al final para el presente de la tercera
persona del singular no se aplica.

Causative verb: Have

En su forma activa, have expresa la idea de que una
tercera persona hace algo para el sujeto principal
o
que el personaje principal quiere que alguien ms haga
algo por l.
Tambin puede expresar: darle a alguien la
responsabilidad de hacer algo. Normalmente
este causative verb se utiliza cuando hablamos de
servicios.
1.- Frmula: Sujeto+have (had)+persona+verbo
Ejemplo: Diana+ had+ her assistant+print the report.
Diana had her assistant print the report. (Diana hizo
que su asistente le imprimiera el reporte.)

Mary had her husband cook dinner for her. (Mary hizo
que su esposo le cocinara la cena.)

- The mannager is here, Sir. Have him come in

please! (-El gerente est aqu, seor. -Hgalo pasar
por favor!

Please have your secretary send the information via

email. (Por favor que su secretaria enve la informacin
por e-mail.)
Tenemos una segunda frmula para utilizarlo en forma
pasiva:

2.- Frmula causative passive: Sujeto+have (had)

+objeto+verbo en participio pasado
Ejemplo: I+ had +my house+ painted last year.
I had my house painted last year. (Me pintaron la
casa el ao pasado.)

I had my car fixed last weekend. (Me arreglaron mi

coche la semana pasada.)

Causative verb: Get

En su forma activa, get normalmente expresa convencer
a alguien de hacer algo.
1.- Frmula : Sujeto+get (got)+persona+verbo en infinitivo
Ejemplo: Luis +got +Helen+ to read more.
Luis got Helen to read more. (Luis convenci a Helen
de leer ms.)

Advertising on television is trying to get people to quit

smoking. (Los anuncios de la T.V. tratan de convencer a
la gente de dejar de fumar.)

How can parents get their children to eat well?

(Cmo los padres pueden convencer/lograr que sus
hijos coman mejor?)
Aqu la segunda frmula para cuando necesites utilizarlo
en forma pasiva:

2.- Frmula causative passive: Sujeto+get (got)

+objeto+verbo en participio pasado
Ejemplo: I+ got +my car+ repaired.

I got my car repaired. (Me compusieron el coche.)

He got his telephone fixed. (Le compusieron tu

telfono.)
Nota: Algunas veces podemos intercambiar get por have,
como lo hicimos en ejemplos anteriores, pero hay que
tener cuidado ya que no significan exactamente lo
mismo. Puedes darte cuenta con el siguiente ejemplo:
Si dices: -I got the doctor to check my blood pressure.
Estas dando a entender que al principio el doctor no
pensaba que fuera necesario, pero lo convenciste para
que revisara tu presin arterial.

Ahora bien, si intercambiamos el causative verb y dices: -I

had the doctor check my blood presure.
Quiere decir que pediste al Doctor que revisara tu presin
arterial.
Dificil de aprender? S. Imposible? No. Te recuerdo
que la prctica hace al maestro, por lo que te
sugiero practicar ingls con regularidad.
Hasta la prxima!
Deja tu comentario, tus inquietudes, en la seccin de
Comentrios de esta entrada.

English Grammar - Causative Verbs

By Kenneth Beare
English as 2nd Language Expert
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Causative verbs express an action which is caused to happen. In other words,

when I have something done for me I cause it to happen. In other words, I do not
actually do anything, but ask someone else to do it for me. This is the sense of
causative verbs. Intermediate to advanced level English learners should study the
causative verb as an alternative to the passive voice.
Causative Verbs
Jack had his house painted.
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This sentence is similar in meaning to:Someone painted Jack's house. OR Jack's
house was painted by someone. Causative verbs express the idea of someone
causing something to take place. Causative verbs can be similar in meaning to
passive verbs.
Examples:
My hair was cut. (passive)
I had my hair cut. (causative)
Both 'make' and 'have' can be used as causative verbs.
Make
'Make' as a causative verb expresses the idea that the person requires another
person to do something.
Construction Chart
Subject + Make + Person + Base Form of Verb
Examples:
Peter made her do her homework.
The teacher made the students stay after class.
Have
'Have' as a causative verb expresses the idea that the person wants something to
be done for them. This causative verb is often used when speaking about various
services. There are two forms of the causative verb 'have'.
Construction Chart: Use 1
Subject + Have + Person + Base Form of Verb
Examples:
They had John arrive early.
She had her children cook dinner for her.
Construction Chart: Use 2
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Subject + Have + Object + Past Participle

Examples:
I had my hair cut last Saturday.
She had the car washed at the weekend.
Note: This form is similar in meaning to the passive.
Get
'Get' is used as a causative verb in a similar way as 'have' is used with the
participle. This expresses the idea that the person wants something to be done for
them. The causative verb is often used in a more idiomatic manner than 'have'.
Construction Chart
Subject + Get + Person + Past Participle
Examples:
They got their house painted last week.
Tom got his car washed yesterday.

ausative verbs express the idea of somebody causing something to

happen or causing another person to do something.
make somebody do something (make + object + infinitive without to):
somebody requires another person to do something

The barking dog made the postman run away.

The rain has made the tourists stay in the hotel this morning.

I dont think she can make her husband buy that expensive ring.

Sad movies always make me cry.

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Answers
have something done (have + object + 3rd form of the verb):
somebody wants something to be done for them

Did you have the car washed yesterday?

I have my hair cut once in 2-3 months.

Weve had the lawn mowed by the neighbours son.

Jane will have the curtains cleaned at the dry cleaners

tomorrow.
Note: get is often used instead of have in informal speech:

Did you get your hair cut before the weekend?

We must get the house decorated for the wedding.

Read more:
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get somebody to do something (get + object + infinitive with to):
somebody requires or inspires another person to do something

Lets get mother to bake a cake on Sunday.

I couldnt get my sister to wash my dirty overalls.

The tap is leaking, get a plumber to fix it.

She always gets me to help with her homework.

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