Causative clauses, get/have

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The Causative

We use the causative in English to say that we have arranged for someone to do something for us.

He had his jacket cleaned.

(He didn't clean it himself.)

The causative is formed with 'have + object + past participle' The past participle has a passive meaning.

Questions and negations of the verb 'have' are formed with do/does or did in the past simple.

Did you have your camera fixed?

We also use 'have something done' to talk about an unpleasant experience.

Peter had his phone stolen last night.

In informal conversations we can use 'get' instead of 'have'.

She's getting her hair done again.

It is important to have the correct word order:

'John had his car repaired.' is very different to 'John had repaired his car.'

In the first sentence John arranged for someone else to repair his car. In the second sentence he did it himself.

The causative can be used with most verb forms and is also formed with the infinitive and -ing forms.

He should have his car repaired.

It's worth having his car repaired.

I will have the mechanic paint my car (le pagaré para que lo haga)

I will get my sister to do the laundry (la convenceré para que lo haga)

Having someone do something is requesting, paying, or convincing them to do it.

Getting someone to do something is the same, but with a little more effort and with more of a goal of getting whatever-it-is completed.

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