叫 vs 让: what is the difference?
Both can mean ask someone to do something. 让 also means let or make, and a thing can be its subject: 这件事让我高兴. 叫 mostly means tell someone to do something.
| Word | Pinyin | What it does | Structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 叫 | jiào | Tells or asks someone to do something. | Subject + 叫 + person + verb phrase |
| 让 | ràng | Lets or makes someone do something, or makes someone feel something. | Subject + 让 + person + verb / adjective |
叫 (jiào)
Tells or asks someone to do something.
Structure: Subject + 叫 + person + verb phrase
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 妈妈叫我早点睡觉。 | Mā mā jiào wǒ zǎo diǎn shuì jiào. | Mum told me to go to bed earlier. |
| 老板叫小王去买咖啡。 | Lǎo bǎn jiào xiǎo wáng qù mǎi kā fēi. | The boss told Xiao Wang to go and buy coffee. |
| 医生叫他多喝水。 | Yī shēng jiào tā duō hē shuǐ. | The doctor told him to drink more water. |
Not: 老师叫回答问题他。 The person comes right after 叫: 老师叫他回答问题.
让 (ràng)
Lets or makes someone do something, or makes someone feel something.
Structure: Subject + 让 + person + verb / adjective
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 这件事让我很生气。 | Zhè jiàn shì ràng wǒ hěn shēng qì. | This matter makes me very angry. |
| 老师让我们先预习新课。 | Lǎo shī ràng wǒ men xiān yù xí xīn kè. | The teacher had us preview the new lesson first. |
| 爸爸不让我晚上出去玩。 | Bà bà bú ràng wǒ wǎn shàng chū qù wán. | Dad does not let me go out to play at night. |
Not: 爸爸让我不出去玩。 To say someone does not allow it, put 不 before 让: 爸爸不让我出去玩.
Where this comes from
The comparison is part of Pivot Sentences: 叫/让/请+someone+V (HSK 3) in the grammar reference, which has the full explanation, more worked examples, and what to learn before and after it.
More pairs: 才 vs 就 · 朝 vs 向 · 从 vs 自从 · 大概 vs 恐怕 · 得很 vs 极了 · 光 vs 只 · 互相 vs 相互 · 每 vs 各 · 听不懂 vs 没听懂 · 需要 vs 要 · 因为 vs 为了 · 只有…才 vs 只要…就 · all 81 pairs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between 叫 and 让?
Both can mean ask someone to do something. 让 also means let or make, and a thing can be its subject: 这件事让我高兴. 叫 mostly means tell someone to do something.
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