让／使 + 人 + 形容词
something makes someone feel a certain way
Structure
事情 + 让／使 + 人 + 形容词／心理动词
What it means
Something makes someone feel a certain way: the cause comes first, then 让 or 使, the person, and the feeling.
How it is built
Thing + 让／使 + person + adjective／feeling verb: 孩子的话让妈妈很感动 (what the child said really moved his mother). Common feelings: 高兴, 开心, 感动, 着急, 难过.
When to use it
让 is the everyday word; 使 is more formal and mostly written: 长时间看手机会使眼睛很累. In h3-2, 让 + person + verb meant getting someone to do something; here a thing causes a feeling.
Watch out
Don’t translate “make” with 做: ✗ 这个消息做我很高兴 ✓ 这个消息让我很高兴.
Examples
这个好消息让全家都很开心。
The good news made the whole family very happy.
孩子的话让妈妈很感动。
What the child said really moved his mother.
长时间看手机会使眼睛很累。
Looking at your phone for a long time makes your eyes tired.
Learn this in HSK 3 · Lesson 16: 他们结婚了 (A wedding)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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