-dir/-t (ettirgen)

The Causative

Level 4

The causative (ettirgen) turns 'to do' into 'to have done' or 'to make someone do.' It is formed by adding suffixes like -dir or -t to the verb stem.

How It Works

The causative is a highly productive part of Turkish grammar used for delegation, forcing, or permitting.

1. Suffix Selection:
The choice of suffix depends on the verb stem's shape:

  • -DIr (-dır, -dir, -dur, -dür, -tır, -tir, -tur, -tür): This is the most common causative suffix. It is used for most stems ending in a consonant (e.g., sev-dir, bak-tır, gül-dür). Note: Monosyllabic stems ending in a vowel, 'l', or 'r' also take this suffix (e.g., ye-dir, bil-dir, gör-dür). Consonant assimilation applies.
  • -t: Used for multi-syllable stems ending in a vowel or the liquids 'l' and 'r' (e.g., oku-t, hazırla-t, düzelt).
  • Irregulars (-Ir, -Ar, -It): About 30 common verbs use these (e.g., iç-ir, çıkar, kork-ut, piş-ir).

2. Oldurgan vs. Ettirgen:
Turkish distinguishes between these two based on the base verb's nature:

  • Oldurgan: Turning an intransitive verb (like uyumak - to sleep) into a transitive one (uyutmak - to put to sleep). The 'causee' takes the accusative.
    Bebeği uyuttum.
  • Ettirgen: Increasing the transitivity of a transitive verb (like kesmek - to cut). The 'causee' (the new agent) takes the dative, while the original direct object remains in the accusative.
    Berbere saçımı kestirdim.

3. Double Causative:
Turkish allows double causative stacking (e.g., getir-t-tir). This is often used to emphasize that the action was delegated through someone else or to reinforce the causative meaning when the first suffix has become lexicalized.

4. Nuance:
While often translated as 'make,' it frequently implies 'having something done' by a professional or 'letting' something happen.

Examples (5)

  1. Anneme mektubu yazdırdım.

    I had my mother write the letter.

    Word by Word: To-my-mother the-letter I-caused-to-write.

    Since 'yazmak' (to write) is transitive, the person doing the writing (mother) takes the dative case (-e).

  2. Komik hikâyelerle arkadaşımı güldürdüm.

    I made my friend laugh with funny stories.

    Word by Word: With-funny stories my-friend I-caused-to-laugh.

    Since 'gülmek' (to laugh) is intransitive, the person laughing (friend) takes the accusative case (-ı).

  3. Arabayı tamir ettirdim.

    I had the car repaired.

    Word by Word: The-car repair I-caused-to-do.

    This uses the causative of 'etmek' (to do) to show a service was arranged.

  4. Öğretmen öğrencilere kitabı okuttu.

    The teacher had the students read the book.

    Word by Word: Teacher to-students the-book caused-to-read.

    Because 'okumak' ends in a vowel and has two syllables, it takes the -t suffix.

  5. Garsona bir kahve getirttim.

    I had the waiter bring a coffee.

    Word by Word: To-waiter a coffee I-caused-to-bring.

    This shows the use of the causative with a transitive verb 'getirmek' (to bring).

Common Mistakes

  • Using the wrong case for the person performing the action.

    Ali'yi kapıyı açtırdım.
    Ali'ye kapıyı açtırdım.

    Because 'açmak' (to open) is transitive, the person (Ali) must be in the dative case, not the accusative.

  • Using -dir instead of -t on vowel-ending multi-syllable stems.

    Kitabı okudurdum.
    Kitabı okuttum.

    Verbs with more than one syllable ending in a vowel must use the -t suffix for the causative.

  • Forgetting consonant assimilation.

    Yemek yapdırdım.
    Yemek yaptırdım.

    The 'p' in 'yap-' is a voiceless consonant, so the suffix -dir must change to -tir.

How It Connects

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-dir/-t (ettirgen)Level 4The Causative

Learn This First

To learn the causative, you need to understand how Turkish suffixes adapt to the stem through vowel harmony and consonant assimilation. Additionally, familiarity with other voice-altering suffixes like the passive helps in understanding how the causative shifts the roles of the subject and object in a sentence.

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Words in This Pattern

-dir