B1 · Intermediate Chapter 33

Causative Constructions

4 Total Rules
30 examples
1 min
Rules in This Chapter Quick Practice

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of influence and delegation by using 'hai' to control actions in Thai.

  • Construct sentences that force or cause an outcome.
  • Grant permission to others using polite Thai structures.
  • Issue effective commands that delegate tasks to people.
Mastering the power of 'hai' in everyday Thai.

What You'll Learn

Using 'hai' to express making or letting someone do something. Complex command structures.

Learning Objectives

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

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Use 'hai' to delegate simple tasks to colleagues or service staff.

Key Examples (8)

1

บอกให้เขารอ

Tell him to wait.

Causative 'Hai': Making Things Happen in Thai
2

ทำให้อร่อย

Make it delicious.

Causative 'Hai': Making Things Happen in Thai
3

nang rueang ni tham-hai chan rong-hai

This movie made me cry.

The Causative 'Tham-hai' (Make/Cause)
4

akat ron tham-hai chan ngut-ngit

The hot weather makes me cranky.

The Causative 'Tham-hai' (Make/Cause)
5

hai phom pai

Let me go.

Thai Permissive Grammar: Using `hai` (ให้) for Permission
6

khun hai khao khao ma

Did you let him come in?

Thai Permissive Grammar: Using `hai` (ให้) for Permission
7

bork hai khao ma

Tell him to come here.

Thai Command Causatives: Using `hai`
8

tam hai chan kin

Make it for me to eat.

Thai Command Causatives: Using `hai`

Tips & Tricks (4)

🎯

The 'Middle' Rule

Always keep hai in the middle of your request to avoid confusion.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Causative 'Hai': Making Things Happen in Thai
🎯

Think of it as a bridge

Imagine tham-hai as a bridge connecting a cause to an effect.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: The Causative 'Tham-hai' (Make/Cause)
💡

Context is King

Don't stress about the double meaning of hai. If a person follows it, it's permission. If a noun follows it, it's a gift!
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Thai Permissive Grammar: Using `hai` (ให้) for Permission
💡

Mastering the flow

Always keep the person right after hai.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Thai Command Causatives: Using `hai`

Key Vocabulary (5)

ให้ (hai) to give, to let, to make ทำให้ (tham-hai) to cause to, to make happen อนุญาต (a-nu-yat) to permit, to allow สั่ง (sang) to order, to command ช่วย (chuay) to help

Real-World Preview

briefcase

At the Office

Review Summary

  • [Subject] + ให้ + [Person] + [Verb]

Common Mistakes

Students often forget to place the person between 'hai' and the verb.

Wrong: ให้เขาไปทำ (Let him go do)
Correct: ให้เขาไปทำ (Correct, but watch for word order)

Always use 'tham-hai' for cause-effect, not just 'tham'.

Wrong: ทำผมโกรธ (Make me angry)
Correct: ทำให้ผมโกรธ (Caused me to be angry)

Don't forget the 'hai' after the command verb!

Wrong: สั่งเขาทำ (Command him do)
Correct: สั่งให้เขาทำ (Command him to do)

Next Steps

You've conquered the causative! You are now speaking like a true manager of the Thai language. Keep practicing!

Translate 5 workplace instructions into Thai.

Continue to: Emphatic Particles

Quick Practice (8)

Which sentence is correct?

Choose the correct sentence for 'Let him eat':

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: hai khao kin
The order is hai + person + verb.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Thai Permissive Grammar: Using `hai` (ให้) for Permission

Find and fix the mistake

Find and fix the mistake:

Khao tam hai.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Khao hai tam.
You need to specify who is doing the action after hai.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Causative 'Hai': Making Things Happen in Thai

Which sentence is correct?

Choose the correct usage of causative `hai`:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Tam hai khao.
The causative structure requires the action followed by the person receiving the action.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Causative 'Hai': Making Things Happen in Thai

Fill in the blank with `hai`

Bork ___ khao ror.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: hai
We use hai to indicate who is being told to wait.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Causative 'Hai': Making Things Happen in Thai

Fill in the blank

กาแฟแก้วนี้ ___ ฉันตื่นตัว

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: tham-hai
We use tham-hai to describe how the coffee caused the state of being alert.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: The Causative 'Tham-hai' (Make/Cause)

Find and fix the mistake in this sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

khao pai hai (Let him go)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: hai khao pai
The permission word hai must come before the person.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Thai Permissive Grammar: Using `hai` (ให้) for Permission

Fill in the blank with the correct word.

_____ phom pai. (Let me go.)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: hai
hai is the word for 'let' or 'allow' in this context.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Thai Permissive Grammar: Using `hai` (ให้) for Permission

Fill in the blank with the correct causative particle.

Pee ____ nong tham ngan.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: hai
Use hai to indicate that the older sibling is making the younger one work.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Thai Command Causatives: Using `hai`

Score: /8

Common Questions (6)

It means 'to give' but functions as a causative marker in Thai.
Yes, it acts as a verb that enables another action to happen.
No, it is neutral. It works for good things like 'The gift made me happy' as well.
Yes, hai functions as a causative verb in Thai. It triggers the action that follows.
Mostly, yes! You can use it with almost any action verb like 'go', 'eat', 'sleep', or 'enter'.
Yes, it means 'to give' in other contexts, but here it acts as a bridge for actions.
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Advanced Verb Aspects
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Emphatic Particles
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