If you’ve ever wondered what the difference is between 시키다, -게 하다, and -도록 하다, you’re not alone. These Korean causative forms can seem similar but are used in slightly different ways depending on context and nuance. In this post, we’ll break down each one, show how they’re used in real-life situations, and help you understand when to use which form with clear examples.
Contents
Korean Grammar Series:
Mastering 사동사 (Causative Verb Forms)
🔹 Part 1: Introduction to Causative Forms in Korean – What They Are and Why They Matter
🔹 Part 2: Causative Form Endings in Korean – How to Use 이, 히, 리, 기, 우, 구, 추
🔹 Part 3: Using ‘시키다’ in Korean – How to Make Someone Do Something
🔹 Part 4: Using -게 하다 in Korean – Letting or Making Someone Do Something
🔹 Part 5: Korean Causative Forms Compared -시키다 vs -게 하다 vs -도록 하다
1. Causative Forms in Korean: A Quick Recap
In Korean, causative verbs allow you to express the idea of making or letting someone do something. While we’ve already covered the basic usage of -시키다 and -게 하다, we also need to understand how they differ and when you should use them. Let’s break down each form to see how they function differently.
2. Understanding the Differences:
1. 시키다 – To Make Someone Do Something (Forceful)
-시키다 is used when you want to indicate that someone is made or forced to do something. It carries a strong implication of obligation or command, and it is often used in more direct or authoritative contexts.
- Example:
선생님은 학생들에게 숙제를 시켰어요. (The teacher made the students do the homework.)
Here, the teacher is forcing the students to do something.
2. -게 하다 – To Make or Let Someone Do Something (Neutral)
-게 하다 can express both letting and making someone do something, but with a more neutral tone than -시키다. This form allows for both permission and compulsion, depending on the context. It is more versatile because it doesn’t inherently carry the same level of forcefulness as -시키다.
- Example (Letting):
엄마는 나에게 방을 청소하게 했어요. (My mom let me clean the room.)
Here, the mom is allowing the speaker to clean the room without force. - Example (Making):
그는 친구들에게 피자를 먹게 했어요. (He made his friends eat pizza.)
In this case, it’s not as forceful as -시키다, but still indicates that the friends had to eat pizza.
3. -도록 하다 – To Make Someone Do Something (Purpose or Intent)
-도록 하다 is often used when you want to express that something should be done in order to achieve a purpose or goal. It’s slightly more formal and can imply that the speaker has made arrangements for something to happen. It is often used in instructions or suggestions where the speaker emphasizes the intended result of an action.
- Example (Purpose):
나는 그에게 숙제를 끝내도록 했어요. (I made him finish the homework.)
Here, the goal or purpose is for the homework to be finished. - Example (Intent):
그는 아이에게 책을 읽도록 했어요. (He made the child read the book.)
This indicates that the action (reading the book) was done to fulfill a particular intention.
4. -게 하다 vs. -도록 하다: Which One to Choose?
Use -게 하다 when you want to make or let someone do something, but the emphasis is on the action itself rather than the purpose or result.
- Example: 엄마는 아이에게 숙제를 하게 했어요. (The mother made the child do the homework.)
Use -도록 하다 when you want to emphasize achieving a goal or intent behind the action.
- Example: 선생님은 학생들에게 프로젝트를 끝내도록 했어요. (The teacher made the students finish the project.)
5. 시키다 vs. -게 하다: When to Choose One Over the Other?
- -시키다 is used for more forceful actions, often in situations where the speaker is giving an order or command.
- Example: 사장님은 직원들에게 보고서를 쓰게 시켰어요. (The boss made the employees write the report.)
- -게 하다 is more neutral and can be used for both making and letting someone do something. It is less direct and harsh than -시키다.
- Example: 그는 친구들에게 수업에 참석하게 했어요. (He made his friends attend the class.)
- Example: 그는 친구들에게 수업에 참석하게 했어요. (He made his friends attend the class.)
3. Key Differences at a Glance
| Causative Form | Meaning | Tone | Usage |
| -시키다 | To make (forcefully) someone do something | Forceful | Used when there is an obligation or a command. |
| -게 하다 | To make or let someone do something | Neutral | Used when either making or letting someone do something. |
| -도록 하다 | To make someone do something for a goal | Purposeful/Intent | Used when emphasizing the intended result or goal of an action. |
4. Practice Exercises
Fill in the blanks with the correct causative form (시키다, -게 하다, -도록 하다) based on the context.
- 부모님은 아이에게 일찍 잠자리에 ________ (들다).
(The parents told the child to go to bed early.) - 선생님은 학생들에게 다음 주까지 숙제를 ________ (끝내다).
(The teacher told the students to finish their homework by next week.) - 언니는 나에게 방을 ________ (청소하다).
(My older sister made me clean the room.) - 경찰은 시민들에게 교통 법규를 ________ (지키다).
(The police ordered the citizens to obey traffic laws.) - 친구는 나에게 발표 자료를 ________ (만들다).
(My friend made me create the presentation materials.) - 사장님은 비서에게 회의 준비를 ________ (하다).
(The boss delegated the meeting preparation.) - 코치는 선수들에게 매일 스트레칭을 ________ (하다).
(The coach made the players stretch every day.) - 부모님은 아이들에게 채소를 ________ (먹다).
(The parents made their children eat vegetables.) - 나는 동생에게 내일까지 숙제를 ________ (끝내다).
(I told my younger sibling to finish the homework by tomorrow.) - 선생님은 학생들에게 시험 전에 복습을 ________ (하다).
(The teacher ordered the students to review before the exam.)
5. Answers
- 들도록 했어요
- 끝내도록 했어요
- 청소하게 했어요
- 지키도록 시켰어요
- 만들게 했어요
- 시켰어요
- 하게 했어요
- 먹게 했어요
- 끝내도록 했어요
- 시켰어요
6. Common Mistakes and Tips
⚠️ Mistake 1: Confusing “making” with “letting”
Incorrect: 엄마는 나에게 방을 청소하게 시켰어요. (Mom made me clean the room.) ❌
Correct: 엄마는 나에게 방을 청소하게 했어요. ✅ (Mom made me clean the room.)
💡 Tip: -게 하다 can mean both making and letting, so the context will determine the appropriate form. If you’re indicating force or command, use -시키다.
⚠️ Mistake 2: Using the wrong causative form for the purpose
Incorrect: 선생님은 학생들에게 숙제를 하게 시켰어요. ❌
Correct: 선생님은 학생들에게 숙제를 하게 했어요. ✅ (The teacher made the students do homework.)
💡 Tip: If the action is directed at achieving a goal or purpose, use -도록 하다.
In this post, we compared the key Korean causative forms: ‘시키다’, ‘-게 하다’, and ‘-도록 하다’. Each form expresses a different nuance—force, permission, or purpose—so choosing the right one depends on the speaker’s intent. Understanding these subtle differences will help you express commands, requests, or goals more accurately in Korean. Keep practicing with real-life examples to make these patterns a natural part of your Korean!