让 (ràng) is the everyday word for getting someone else to do something. Depending on the context it means ask, tell, let or make, and it always comes before the person, with the action after them.
A + 让 + B + verb.
A is the person (or thing) behind the action, B is the person who does it. The person comes straight after 让, and the action comes after the person. When the speaker is a teacher, a doctor or a parent, 让 usually means tell or ask someone to do something.
让 also means let or allow. Without a subject, 让 + person + verb is a request or an offer: 让我看看 is the normal way to say let me have a look, and 让我来吧 offers to do something for someone.
After the person, 让 can be followed by an adjective or a feeling instead of an action. Then it means make: something makes someone happy, tired or not want to do something. The first part is often a thing or an event, not a person.
To say someone won't let you do something, put 不 before 让: 不让. For the past, use 没有让. If someone told you not to do something, the negative goes after the person instead, with 不要 or 别: 老师让我们不要说话 means the teacher told us not to talk.
For a question, add 吗 at the end, or use 让不让.
The most common mistake is to translate make with 做. 做 means to do or make a thing, such as food or homework. To make someone feel or do something, use 让: 他让我很高兴, not 他做我很高兴.
Also, 了 does not go straight after 让. Put it after the second verb or at the end of the sentence.
Practise this grammar point on paper: 20 exercises using only HSK 2 words, with an answer key on a separate page. Free to print and copy for your class.
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