Second Causatives: Having Someone Do

In Hindi, verbs come in three levels. Level one is doing something yourself. Level two is making someone else do it directly. Level three—the second causative—is getting something done through an intermediary. You are the 'instigator.' You might hire a mechanic to fix your car. You might ask a friend to tell a secret. In all these cases, you are the 'cause.' The second causative verb usually ends in -va-. This tiny sound changes the whole vibe of the sentence. It moves the focus from the 'doing' to the 'arranging.' It is the ultimate 'work smarter, not harder' grammar rule.

1. 1Creating these verbs is easier than finding a parking spot in Delhi. Follow these simple steps:
2. 2Start with the verb root. For karna (to do), the root is kar.
3. 3Add the suffix -va- to the root. Now you have karva.
4. 4Add the standard verb endings for tense and gender. For example, karvana (to have someone do).
5. 5If the root has a long vowel, shorten it. bolna (to speak) becomes bulvana (to have someone called/spoken to).
6. 6If the root is one syllable with a long 'a', it might change to 'i'. khana (to eat) becomes khilvana (to have someone fed).
7. 7Always remember that the person doing the work is marked with se.

Use this when you are the mastermind. Imagine you are at a restaurant. You don't just want food; you want the chef to cook it. You 'have the food made.' Use it when hiring professionals like plumbers or doctors. Use it when you delegate chores to your younger siblings. It is perfect for office settings where managers 'get reports written.' Use it for social situations where you 'get a message sent' through a cousin. It adds a layer of distance between you and the physical labor. It is very common in daily Hindi conversation. If you say Maine ghar banvaya, you sound like a homeowner. If you say Maine ghar banaya, it sounds like you literally laid the bricks yourself. Unless you are a mason, use the second causative!

Don't use this if you are doing the action yourself. That would be confusing and a bit weird. If you are washing your own clothes, stick to dhona. Don't use it if you are directly helping someone do something. That is usually the first causative (-a- suffix). Avoid using it for natural processes that don't involve a middleman. You wouldn't 'have the sun rise.' Also, don't overcomplicate simple sentences. If you just told a joke, you 'made people laugh' (hansaya). You didn't 'have someone else make people laugh' (hansvaya) unless you hired a clown.

Mixing up the first and second causative is the biggest trap. Karana means you are teaching or helping. Karvana means you are just the boss. Another mistake is forgetting the se postposition. The person actually doing the work needs se after their name. For example, Ram se kam karvana (To have the work done by Ram). If you forget se, the sentence falls apart like a bad samosa. Also, watch your vowel lengths. Using a long vowel where it should be short makes you sound like a robot. Native speakers shorten those vowels for a reason—it flows better!

Let's compare three levels of the verb parhna (to read/study).

• Level 1: Main parhta hoon (I study). You are the student.
• Level 2: Main parhata hoon (I teach). You are directly helping others learn.
• Level 3: Main parhvata hoon (I have someone taught). You are the school principal hiring teachers.

See the difference? The second causative adds a layer of management. It is the difference between cooking a meal, teaching a recipe, and owning the restaurant. One is labor, one is guidance, and one is organization.