Causative verbs are intransitive verbs that are made transitive by adding suffixes to them. Their past stem is made by adding the suffix “اند” to the present stem of the original verb. Their present stem is made by adding the suffix “ان” to the present stem of the original verb.
This gives us a whole new set of verbs that are easy to memorize since they are made using the verbs we are already familiar with. Below are some examples. Remember again that the past stem of any verb is formed of its infinitive without the “ن” ending.
Causative Verb (transitive)
Intransitive Verb
Meaning
Present Stem
Infinitive
Meaning
Present Stem
Infinitive
To pass (trans.)
گذران
گذراندن
To pass
گذر
گذشتن
To make sbdy sleep
خوابان
خواباندن
To sleep
خواب
خوابیدن
To scare
ترسان
ترساندن
To be scared
ترس
ترسیدن
To make sbdy laugh
خندان
خنداندن
To laugh
خند
خندیدن
To burn (trans.)
سوزان
سوزاندن
To burn
سوز
سوختن
Let’s have a look at some examples of the usage of these verbs.
بچّهها خوابیدند.
مادر بچّهها را خواباند.
لیلا میخندد.
سعید لیلا را میخندانَد.
رم سوخت.
نرون رم را سوزاند.
The children slept.
Mother put the children to sleep.
Leila laughs.
Saeed makes Leila laugh.
Rome burnt.
Nero burnt Rome.
To be more precise, it is not only intransitive verbs that have causative forms. Transitive verbs, too, have causative forms. Here are some examples: