Causative Verbs

There are three stages of an action in Hindi. Stage one is the base verb. This is the simple "doing" part. Example: bolna (to speak). Stage two is the first causative. This is the "direct cause" part. Example: bulaana (to call or summon). Stage three is the second causative. This is the "indirect cause" part. Example: bulvaana (to have someone called). The first causative usually implies you are personally involved. You are the one making the action happen directly. The second causative is more hands-off. You are the boss who tells a manager. The manager then tells the worker. It creates a chain of command. It’s like a game of telephone, but for actions.

1. 1Start with the verb root. For khana (to eat), the root is kha.
2. 2To make the first causative, add the suffix -aa. kha + aa becomes khilaa.
3. 3Notice the change? This is the vowel shortening rule. Long vowels at the start must shrink. aa becomes a. ee becomes i. oo becomes u. It’s like the verb is going on a diet before it can work for others.
4. 4To make the second causative, add the suffix -vaa. kha + vaa becomes khilvaa.
5. 5Add the infinitive ending -na to finish the word. Now you have khilaana and khilvaana.
6. 6If the root ends in a consonant, it is much easier. kar (do) becomes karaana and karvaana. No vowel diet needed here!
7. 7For roots with two syllables like samajh (understand), the second vowel often disappears. samajh becomes samjhaana (to explain).

Use the first causative for direct help or teaching. Teaching a student is parhaana. Feeding a baby is khilaana. Showing a photo to a friend is dikhaana. These are personal interactions. Use the second causative for delegation and services. Getting a house built is banvaana. Having a letter written by a scribe is likhvaana. Ordering a pizza to be delivered is mangvaana. It’s perfect for the "I’m too busy" lifestyle. Imagine you are at a mechanic. You don't fix the car; you theek karvaate hain (get it fixed). In an office, you don't just do reports. You report banvaate hain (have reports made) by your team. It shows who is in charge of the result.

Don't use it for your own solo actions. If you are reading a book alone, use parhna. If you use parhaana, people will look for your students. Don't use it with verbs that cannot logically be caused. However, in Hindi, almost everything can be caused! Even "sleeping" becomes "putting to sleep" (sulaana). Avoid it if the focus is purely on the result without an instigator. If the result is all that matters and the actor is unknown, use the passive voice instead. Using a causative when you did the work yourself makes you sound like you have a split personality. It’s like saying "I made myself eat" when you just had a snack.

The biggest trap is forgetting the vowel shortening. Many learners say seekhaana for teaching. The correct word is sikhaana. That long ee must become a short i. It’s a tiny change but sounds much more natural to a native ear. Another mistake is the "agent" marker. If you make "Raj" do something, use the particle se. For example: Raj se kaam karvaao. Don't use ko unless it is the first causative. It's like using the wrong lane on a highway. You'll get there, but it will be a bumpy ride. Also, don't double up. You don't need "make" and the causative verb together. The verb does all the work for you.

Don't confuse this with the passive voice. The passive voice is "The work was done" (kaam kiya gaya). The causative is "I had the work done" (maine kaam karvaya). The causative always has an "instigator" or a boss. The passive focuses on the "object" or the task. Also, distinguish between the two causative levels. karaana is "I am helping or directing." karvaana is "I am giving an order to an intermediary." It’s the difference between showing someone how to cook and hiring a chef to cook for a party. One involves flour on your hands; the other involves a phone call.