Causative Voice in Korean

Overview

The causative voice at the CEFR B1 level expresses making, letting, or having someone do something. Korean forms causatives through suffixes (-이/히/리/기/우/추) or the analytical pattern -게 하다 (make/let do). Like passives, the suffix causatives are lexicalized and must be memorized for each verb.

How It Works

Suffix Causatives

Active	Causative	Meaning
먹다 (eat)	먹이다 (feed)	make eat
읽다 (read)	읽히다 (make read)	make read
웃다 (laugh)	웃기다 (make laugh)	make laugh
자다 (sleep)	재우다 (put to sleep)	make sleep
알다 (know)	알리다 (inform)	make know
죽다 (die)	죽이다 (kill)	make die

Analytical Causative: -게 하다

Any verb + 게 하다 (make/let/have someone do):

Example	Translation
공부하게 했어요	Made (him) study
가게 했어요	Made/let (him) go
먹게 했어요	Made/let (him) eat

Examples in Context

Korean	Romanization	English	Note
아이를 재웠어요.	a-i-reul jae-wo-sseo-yo	Put the child to sleep.	suffix causative
웃겼어요.	ut-gyeo-sseo-yo	Made (me) laugh.	suffix causative
공부하게 했어요.	gong-bu-ha-ge hae-sseo-yo	Made (him) study.	-게 하다
알리다	al-li-da	to inform/notify	suffix causative
아이에게 밥을 먹였어요.	a-i-e-ge ba-beul meo-gyeo-sseo-yo	Fed the child.	suffix causative
기다리게 해서 죄송합니다.	gi-da-ri-ge hae-seo joe-song-ham-ni-da	Sorry for making you wait.	-게 하다
울리지 마세요.	ul-li-ji ma-se-yo	Don't make (him) cry.	suffix causative
살리다	sal-li-da	to save (make live)	suffix causative

Common Mistakes

Confusing causative and passive suffixes

• Wrong: Thinking 먹이다 is passive (being eaten)
• Right: 먹이다 is causative (to feed, make eat)
• Why: The same suffixes (-이/히/리/기) create both passives and causatives depending on the base verb. Context and the specific verb determine meaning.

Overusing -게 하다 when a suffix causative exists

• Wrong: 웃게 하다 (when 웃기다 exists)
• Right: Both work, but 웃기다 is more natural for "make laugh"
• Why: When a suffix causative exists, it is usually more natural and concise. -게 하다 is a backup for verbs without suffix forms.

Usage Notes

The -게 하다 pattern has a nuanced distinction: it can mean "make" (force) or "let" (allow) depending on context. 가게 했어요 could mean "made him go" or "let him go." For clarity, 가게 해 줬어요 (let him go, as a favor) specifies permission, while simply 가게 했어요 leans toward "made." Suffix causatives are more common and natural in daily speech.

Practice Tips

• Learn causative pairs: 자다/재우다, 먹다/먹이다, 웃다/웃기다, 죽다/죽이다, 알다/알리다.
• Practice -게 하다 with 하다 verbs: 공부하게 하다, 운동하게 하다.
• Create sentences about parenting (making children do things), a natural context for causatives.

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Passive Voice — passive and causative share suffix patterns