faire des progrès

In French, we use the verb faire (to do or to make) to drive this expression. Unlike English, where 'progress' is often an uncountable concept, French likes to think of it as a series of individual steps. That’s why we almost always use the plural: des progrès. You’ll conjugate faire to match whoever is doing the improving. For example, if you're talking about yourself, you’d say Je fais des progrès. If you're cheering on a friend who just started the gym, you'd say Tu fais des progrès !. It’s simple, active, and very common. Just remember that the word progrès always keeps its 's' at the end, even in the singular, but here the plural 'des' is what gives it that 'getting better' vibe. It's like collecting little trophies of achievement as you go.

Imagine you're chatting with your language partner on WhatsApp. You might type: Je fais des progrès en français grâce à tes conseils ! (I’m making progress in French thanks to your advice!). Or maybe you’re at the gym and your trainer notices you’re lifting heavier weights. They might say, Vous faites de grands progrès ! to give you a boost of motivation. Even in the world of hobbies, like learning to play the guitar via YouTube tutorials, you could tell your roommates, Enfin, je fais des progrès sur ce morceau ! (Finally, I’m making progress on this song!). It’s the perfect phrase for those 'aha!' moments in life. Even small wins count, like finally remembering to use the correct gender for 'pizza' (it's feminine, by the way). Every little bit counts toward the bigger picture.

You can use this phrase just about anywhere. It’s neutral enough for a professional performance review but warm enough for a casual Instagram caption about your new painting hobby. Use it when you want to acknowledge someone’s hard work or when you want to be humble about your own learning journey. It’s great for academic settings, workplace feedback, or just encouraging a toddler who is learning to tie their shoes. If you see someone struggling but getting slightly better each time, Tu fais des progrès is the ultimate 'keep going' phrase. It acknowledges the struggle while celebrating the growth. It’s also very common in fitness apps or learning platforms to track your weekly stats.

Be careful not to use faire des progrès when you’re talking about physical movement or travel. If you’re walking toward the Eiffel Tower, you wouldn’t say you’re 'making progress' in the sense of improvement; you’d just say you’re 'advancing' (avancer). Also, don't use it for things that happen automatically without effort. You don’t 'make progress' in getting older (sadly, that just happens). This phrase is reserved for things that require your active participation and skill-building. It's also not used for things that are simply changing—it must be a change for the better. If your garden is dying, you aren't making progress; you're just having a bad time with plants.

One of the biggest traps for English speakers is trying to say faire un progrès. In English, we say 'make progress' (singular), but in French, saying it in the singular sounds like you only improved exactly one tiny bit, which is a bit weird. Another classic mistake is using the verb prendre (to take). You might be tempted to say ✗ prendre des progrès, but that sounds like you’re trying to physically grab improvement out of the air. It doesn't work that way! Always stick with faire. It’s an action verb because improvement is an action. Also, avoid ✗ faire le progrès unless you’re talking about 'Progress' with a capital P as a philosophical concept. For your own skills, it's always des.

If you want to sound even more like a native, you could use s'améliorer. This means 'to improve oneself' and is a bit more formal. For example, Mon français s'améliore (My French is improving). Another great one is avancer, which focuses on the 'moving forward' aspect. If you’re working on a project, you might say Le projet avance bien. If you want to describe a massive jump in skill, try faire des pas de géant (to make giant steps). It’s a bit more dramatic and perfect for when you’ve suddenly had a huge breakthrough. Each of these has a slightly different flavor, but faire des progrès remains the most versatile and friendly option.

You can spice up this phrase by adding adjectives. Faire de grands progrès (to make great progress) is a classic for when you’re feeling extra proud. If you’re moving incredibly fast, you could say faire des progrès fulgurants (to make lightning-fast progress)—this is the kind of thing people say about tech startups or child prodigies. On the flip side, if things are moving slowly, you might say faire de petits progrès. It’s still positive! Even a small progress is better than no progress at all. You can also say faire des progrès constants to emphasize your dedication and steady work over a long period of time.

Can I use this for my career? Yes, it's very common in job interviews or performance reviews to discuss your professional growth. Is it okay to use with friends? Absolutely, it's a very encouraging thing to say to someone learning a new hobby or sport. Why is it plural? Because French views improvement as a series of multiple small successes rather than one singular blob of 'progress'. Does it sound formal? It’s perfectly neutral—you can use it with your boss or your best friend without any awkwardness. What's the best way to respond if someone says this to me? A simple Merci, j'essaie ! (Thanks, I'm trying!) is always a great and humble response.