Causative objects

On the Movie Set

Before we dive into directing actors, let's set the scene with some vocabulary used in film production.

set (movie set)
set
shooting / filming
çekim
They are preparing the camera for the shooting.
Çekim için kamerayı hazırlıyorlar.

Directing Action: Accusative Causees

When you use a causative suffix on an intransitive verb (a verb that doesn't naturally take a direct object, like sitting, walking, or running), the person you are making do the action (the causee) becomes the direct object.

Because they are the direct object of the new causative verb, the causee takes the accusative case (-i, , -u, ).

  • adam (man) -> adamı (the man [accusative])
  • kız (girl) -> kızı (the girl [accusative])
The director is making the old man sit on the chair.
Yönetmen yaşlı adamı sandalyeye oturtuyor.
Shall I make the girl walk slowly for the shooting?
Çekim için kızı yavaş yürüteyim mi?
They are making the man run in the forest all day.
Adamı bütün gün ormanda koşturuyorlar.

Delegating Tasks: Dative Causees

When you use a causative suffix on a transitive verb (a verb that already takes a direct object, like reading a script or signing a contract), the resulting sentence has two objects: the thing being acted upon, and the person doing it.

In Turkish, the original direct object (the script, the contract) stays in the accusative case. The person you are having do the action (the causee) acts as the indirect object and takes the dative case (-a, -e). You can think of it as passing the task to them.

  • oyuncu (actor) -> oyuncuya (to the actor)
  • figüran (extra) -> figürana (to the extra)
Can you have the actor read the script?
Senaryoyu oyuncuya okutabilir misin?
Shall I make the extra memorize the role?
Rolü figürana ezberleteyim mi?
Can we have the stunt double sing the song?
Şarkıyı dublöre söyletebilir miyiz?
Shall I have the actor sign the contract?
Sözleşmeyi oyuncuya imzalatayım mı?