B1 · Intermedio Capítulo 42

Causative Verbs: Making Someone Do Something

6 Reglas totales
1 min
Reglas en este capítulo Práctica rápida

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Learn how to shift the action from yourself to others using Armenian causative structures.

  • Master the -եցնել suffix to create causative verbs.
  • Distinguish between forcing someone to act and having something done.
  • Apply causative logic to reflexive and passive sentences.
Delegate with Power: Master the Armenian Causative.

Lo que aprenderás

Understand causative constructions, where one causes another to perform an action. This chapter covers direct and indirect causatives and their formation with -եցնել.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to transform simple Armenian verbs into their causative forms using the -եցնել suffix.
  2. 2
    By the end you will be able to explain the difference between direct influence and indirect service requests in Armenian.
  3. 3
    By the end you will be able to construct complex sentences describing being forced to do something using passive causatives.

Consejos y trucos (4)

💡

The 'Feed' Rule

If you want to say 'feed', don't look for a new word. Just take 'eat' (ուտել) and use the causative 'կերակրել' or 'ուտեցնել'.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Introduction to Causative Verbs: To Make, To Have
💡

The 'Remind' Shortcut

Instead of saying 'make me remember,' just use 'հիշեցնել'. It's the most common causative verb you'll use.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Forming Causative Constructions: -եցնել
🎯

The Past Tense Shift

When you move to the past tense, the 'ն' (n) in the suffix changes to 'ր' (r). So 'վազեցնել' becomes 'վազեցրեց'. This is the #1 thing that trips up B1 learners.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Direct Causative: I made him eat
🎯

The 'Service' Shortcut

If you are paying for it, you are almost certainly using 'տալ'. Use this as a mental shortcut for all professional services.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Indirect Causative: I had my car repaired

Vocabulario clave (7)

ուտեցնել to feed / to make eat հագցնել to dress someone նորոգել տալ to have (something) repaired վախեցնել to frighten / to make afraid ստիպել to force հասկացնել to make understand զարմացնել to surprise / to make amazed

Real-World Preview

car

At the Car Mechanic

baby

Parenting Duties

Review Summary

  • Verb Stem + եցնել
  • Infinitive + տալ
  • Causative Verb + վել

Errores comunes

Using the simple verb instead of the causative changes the meaning from 'fed' to 'ate'. Always use the suffix for causation.

Wrong: Ես նրան ուտել եմ: (I have eaten him)
Correcto: Ես նրան ուտեցրել եմ: (I have fed him)

For professional services, use the 'verb + տալ' construction rather than just the causative suffix.

Wrong: Ես մեքենաս նորոգեցի մասնագետին: (I repaired my car to the specialist)
Correcto: Ես մեքենաս նորոգել տվեցի մասնագետին: (I had my car repaired by the specialist)

Confusing the intransitive 'to be afraid' (վախենալ) with the causative 'to frighten' (վախեցնել).

Wrong: Նա ինձ վախեցավ: (He feared me)
Correcto: Նա ինձ վախեցրեց: (He frightened me)

Next Steps

You've just unlocked a powerful tool for describing social dynamics. Use your new 'delegation' skills wisely in your next Armenian conversation!

Describe your last visit to a hair salon or doctor using 'տալ' constructions.

Write 5 commands you would give to a pet using causative verbs.

Continue to: Discourse Markers & Connectors

Práctica rápida (10)

Which sentence means 'I will have my hair cut'?

Choose the correct future form:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Մազերս կտրել եմ տալու:
The future is formed with the future participle (տալու) and the auxiliary (եմ).

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Indirect Causative: I had my car repaired

Fix the error.

Find and fix the mistake:

Նա ստիպվեց ինձ գնալ։

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Նա ստիպեց ինձ գնալ
Active causative needed.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Causative: Being Made To

Fill in the correct form of 'տալ' in the past tense.

Ես երեկ մեքենաս վերանորոգել _______:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: տվեցի
The subject is 'Ես' (I), so the past tense of 'տալ' must be 'տվեցի'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Indirect Causative: I had my car repaired

Choose the correct causative form for 'լողանալ' (to bathe).

Մայրիկը երեխային ___:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: լողացնում է
լողացնել is the causative form of լողանալ.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Causative with Reflexive Verbs

Change the verb 'խմել' to the causative present form for 'I'.

Ես կատվին կաթ եմ ___ (խմել):

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: խմեցնում
For -ել verbs, we use -եցնել. The present continuous is խմեցնում եմ.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Forming Causative Constructions: -եցնել

Correct the mistake in the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

Ես մազերս կտրեցի վարսավիրանոցում:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: կտրել տվեցի
Since a barber did it, you must use the 'տալ' construction.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Causative with Reflexive Verbs

Fill in the correct causative form of 'կարդալ' (to read).

Ուսուցիչը աշակերտին գիրքը ___:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: կարդացրեց
The teacher made the student read, so we use the past causative form of կարդալ.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Introduction to Causative Verbs: To Make, To Have

Fill in the correct form.

Ես ___ (ստիպվել) գնալ։

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ստիպվեցի
Past tense required.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Causative: Being Made To

Find the error in the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

Նա ինձ արեց ծիծաղել:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: արեց
You cannot use 'արեց' (did/made) for causation. It should be 'ծիծաղեցրեց'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Direct Causative: I made him eat

Change the verb in brackets to the causative form (Present Tense).

Մայրիկը երեխային ___ (ուտել):

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ուտեցնում է
For -ել verbs, we use the -եցն- suffix. 'Կերակրել' is also a valid synonym.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Direct Causative: I made him eat

Score: /10

Preguntas frecuentes (6)

Yes! You can use it for things like 'heating water' (ջուրը տաքացնել) or 'shortening a dress' (զգեստը կարճացնել).
It depends on the original verb. -ալ verbs take -ացնել, and -ել verbs take -եցնել.
No, it is primarily for verbs ending in -ել and -ենալ. Verbs ending in -ալ use -ացնել.
It literally means 'to make understand,' but it is most commonly used to mean 'to hint' or 'to signal'.
Almost all! Most -ել and -ալ verbs take these suffixes. However, some verbs like տեսնել (to see) use a different word entirely (ցույց տալ - to show).
Yes, it depends on the original verb. -ել verbs take -եցնել, and -ալ verbs take -ացնել. It's a matter of vowel harmony.
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