1. Have + object + past participle

We use have + object + past participle when we arrange for someone else to do something for us.

Structure:

have + object + past participle

Examples:

I had my car repaired yesterday.
She has her hair cut every month.
We're going to have the office painted next week.

The person who performs the action is usually not mentioned because the focus is on the service or result.

Compare:

A mechanic repaired my car.
→ I had my car repaired.

2. Get + object + past participle

Get can also be used in causative structures. It is generally a little more informal than have.

I got my computer fixed yesterday.
We need to get the documents translated.
She got her car serviced before the trip.

Have and get are often interchangeable:

I had my phone repaired.
I got my phone repaired.

3. Have + person + base verb

We use have + person + base verb when we arrange for or instruct someone to do something.

Structure:

have + person + base verb

I had my assistant send the email.
The manager had the team prepare a new proposal.
She had her colleague check the figures.

Compare:

I had the report checked.
→ Focus on the report/result.

I had my assistant check the report.
→ Focus on the person doing the action.

4. Get + person + to + infinitive

With get, we use to + infinitive.

Structure:

get + person + to + infinitive

I got my assistant to send the email.
She got her colleague to help with the project.
We got the technician to fix the problem.

The meaning is often that you persuaded, convinced or managed to make someone do something.

Compare:

I had my assistant call the client.
→ I instructed or arranged for it.

I got my assistant to call the client.
→ I persuaded or managed to make it happen.

5. Causative forms in different tenses

The causative structure can be used in different tenses.

I have my car serviced every year.
I had my car serviced last week.
I am having my car serviced today.
I will have my car serviced next month.
I have had my car serviced recently.

The tense changes in have, while the past participle remains the same.

6. Important distinction

Don't confuse:

I repaired my car.

with:

I had my car repaired.

In the first sentence, I did the repair myself.

In the second, someone else repaired it for me.

This distinction is one of the most important uses of causative forms.

💡 Real-life English

Causative forms are extremely common when talking about things such as:

have your hair cut
have your car repaired
have your house painted
have your documents translated
have your computer fixed
get something delivered
get something installed

They are also very useful in professional English:

We had the contract translated before signing it.

The company had the equipment installed last week.

I'll get the report checked before sending it to the client.

Quick Practice

Ready to put these structures into practice?

[Your short causative forms exercises]

Want more practice?
Download the full Causative Forms Practice PDF.

Una observación importante

Yo no incluiría demasiadas otras construcciones causativas en esta página, como make + object + infinitive, let + object + infinitive, etc., al menos no en la primera versión.

Podemos mencionarlas brevemente en una sección de Related Structures si quieres, pero el núcleo de la página debería ser:

HAVE SOMETHING DONE
GET SOMETHING DONE
HAVE SOMEONE DO SOMETHING
GET SOMEONE TO DO SOMETHING

Click on the button below for some practice