How to say that an inanimate agent makes something happen

Question

I'm guessing that the causative form only works with animate agents, so how would I say something like:

Learning Japanese makes life interesting.

This is my attempt, but I'm not at all convinced by it:

生活が面白くなるから日本語を勉強している。

Is it correct? What better ways can I express the phrase "X makes Y" where X is not a person?

Answer 1

As your English example for life implies not daily life or manner of living, but life in general, I would use 人生 instead of 生活.

Your attempt: 「生活が面白くなるから日本語を勉強している。」Means (My) daily life becomes (sic) interesting, so I am studying Japanese.' Aside from the tenses not agreeing, the cause/effect order is reversed.

I would suggest the following:

「日本語を勉強することが人生を面白くする。」'Studying Japanese makes life more interesting.' (using が here instead of は underlines Japanese as opposed to other areas of study)

「異国語を勉強すると世界が広がる。」'Studying foreign languages broadens (your) world.'

人生を面白くするために日本語を勉強しています。I study Japanese in order to make life more interesting.

In the original order that you used, it would work as a suggestion/recommendation:

「人生が面白くなるから、あなたも日本語を勉強した方がいいよ。」

Answer 2

Generally, "X makes Y ～" is translated as "Xは、Yを～にする(or ～にさせる)".

I translated your example as "日本語を学ぶことは、人生を面白くする。"

I translated 生活が面白くなるから日本語を勉強している into English as "I am studying Japanese because my life becomes interesting."