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French Causative: Having Things Done (Faire + Infinitive)

1 Certainty vs. Uncertainty: Choosing Between Indicative and Subjunctive 2 French Causative: Having Things Done (Faire + Infinitive) 3 French Passive Voice: How to say 'is done' (La voix passive) 4 Avoiding the Passive Voice (on, se, se faire) 5 French Reported Speech: Tense Changes (Le discours rapporté)

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B1 Sentence Structure 19 min read Medium

French Causative: Having Things Done (Faire + Infinitive)

Delegate actions using faire + infinitive, keeping pronouns before faire and fait always invariable.

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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Use 'faire' + infinitive to say you are having someone else perform an action for you.

Use 'faire' + infinitive: Je fais réparer ma voiture (I have my car repaired).
The person doing the action follows 'par' or 'à': Je fais manger le chien à mon frère.
Pronouns go before 'faire': Je la fais réparer (I have it repaired).

Subject + Faire (conjugated) + Infinitive + (Object)

Overview

French employs a distinctive grammatical construction, the causative faire, to express the idea of causing an action to be performed or having something done. Unlike direct action where the subject performs the verb, this structure signifies that the subject instigates or arranges for the action of an infinitive verb to be carried out by another agent or force. It effectively means 'to make someone do something,' 'to have something done,' or 'to cause something to happen.' This construction is fundamental for B1 learners, enabling expression of delegated tasks, services, and indirect influence with naturalness and conciseness, moving beyond simpler active voice statements.

Consider the distinction between Je lave la voiture. (I wash the car – direct action) and Je fais laver la voiture. (I have the car washed – indirect action, implying someone else does it). The causative faire prioritizes the initiator of the action, making it a crucial tool for articulating a wide range of everyday scenarios. Its mastery allows for a more nuanced and idiomatic command of French, reflecting how native speakers express indirect agency.

How This Grammar Works

The causative faire functions as a semi-auxiliary construction, where the conjugated form of faire (to make/to do) combines with an infinitive verb (faire + infinitive) to form a single conceptual unit. In this pairing, faire carries all the grammatical inflections: tense, mood, and person. The infinitive, following immediately after faire, expresses the core action that is being caused or commissioned.

The subject of the sentence is the causer, the entity responsible for initiating the action, while the actual performer of the infinitive's action, if specified, is the agent.

The grammatical logic behind this construction is that the initial subject does not directly do the infinitive's action. Instead, they cause or make the action happen through an implicit or explicit agent. For example, in Il fait construire une maison., the subject il is not physically building the house; he is commissioning its construction.

This pattern allows for efficient communication, particularly when the agent is obvious (e.g., a mechanic for a car repair) or less significant than the fact that the action was caused.

This structure reflects a general French tendency towards economy of expression, often condensing complex ideas of causation into a single verb phrase. It allows you to shift focus from the performer of the action to its instigator, thereby enabling a more dynamic and nuanced description of events and interactions. The unity of faire + infinitive also impacts pronoun placement, which consistently refers to the entire verbal construct.

Word Order Rules

Proper word order is paramount in the causative faire construction, particularly concerning pronoun placement. The faire + infinitive unit operates cohesively, meaning pronouns and negative particles gravitate towards the conjugated faire rather than the infinitive. This rule overrides typical pronoun placement seen with single verbs.

1. Basic Structure (No Pronouns or Agent):

The most straightforward form places the infinitive and its direct object (if any) directly after the conjugated faire.

Subject + faire (conjugated) + Infinitive + Noun Direct Object (if present)
J'ai fait réparer la clôture. (I had the fence repaired.)
Elle fait lire un roman. (She's having a novel read.)

2. Direct Object Pronouns:

When the direct object of the infinitive is replaced by a pronoun (le, la, les), it is positioned before the conjugated faire.

Je fais réparer la voiture. → Je la fais réparer. (I'm having it repaired.)
Ils font construire les maisons. → Ils les font construire. (They're having them built.)

3. Indirect Object Pronouns (Agent of Action):

If the person performing the action of the infinitive (the agent) is replaced by an indirect object pronoun (lui, leur, me, te, nous, vous), it is also placed before the conjugated faire. This occurs when the agent is introduced by à in the full construction.

Nous faisons manger aux enfants. (We make the children eat.) → Nous leur faisons manger. (We make them eat.)
Tu fais travailler à ton équipe. (You make your team work.) → Tu lui fais travailler. (You make it work.)

4. Double Object Pronouns:

When both the direct object of the infinitive and the agent (as an indirect object) are replaced by pronouns, they follow standard French double object pronoun order rules, both placed before the conjugated faire.

| :---- | :------------------------- | :------------------------------------ | :------------------------ |

Je fais lire le livre à ma sœur. → Je le lui fais lire. (I make her read it.)
Il fait manger les légumes aux enfants. → Il les leur fait manger. (He makes them eat them.)

5. Negative Sentences:

In negation, ne precedes the pronoun(s) (if any) and the conjugated faire, while pas follows faire.

Je ne la fais pas réparer. (I am not having it repaired.)
Il ne me le fait pas faire. (He doesn't make me do it.)

6. Compound Tenses:

In compound tenses (e.g., passé composé, plus-que-parfait), the auxiliary verb (avoir) is conjugated and precedes faire. The past participle fait remains invariable (no agreement). Pronouns still precede the auxiliary.

J'ai fait réparer la voiture. (I had the car repaired.)
Tu l'as fait faire. (You had it done.)
Ils me l'ont fait apprendre. (They made me learn it.)

Formation Pattern

The formation of the causative faire is systematic but requires careful attention to the placement of elements, especially the agent and the direct object. It builds in complexity from a simple faire + infinitive to constructions involving multiple participants.

1. The Basic Faire + Infinitive:

This is the core structure. Faire is conjugated according to the subject and tense, followed immediately by the infinitive verb.

| :---------- | :-------------------- | :---------- | :--------------------------- | :--------------------------- |

2. Adding a Direct Object to the Infinitive:

When the infinitive has a direct object, it follows the infinitive itself. The word order remains Subject + Faire (conjugated) + Infinitive + Direct Object (Noun).

Je fais préparer le repas. (I'm having the meal prepared.)

Elle fait nettoyer les tapis. (She's having the carpets cleaned.)

3. Specifying the Agent (Performer of the Infinitive's Action):

This is where the construction introduces the person or thing performing the action of the infinitive. The agent is typically introduced by the preposition à.

Subject + Faire (conjugated) + Infinitive + Direct Object (Noun) + à + Agent (Noun)

Le patron fait travailler son équipe. (The boss makes his team work.)

Je fais lire ce livre à mon étudiant. (I make my student read this book.)

It's important to note that if the infinitive normally takes a direct object, and there's also an explicit agent, the agent is almost always introduced by à. Using par (par l'agent) is possible but far less common, usually reserved for emphasizing the agent in a more formal or semi-passive context. Stick to à for B1 level.

4. Reflexive Form (Se faire + Infinitive):

When the subject of faire is also the beneficiary or recipient of the infinitive's action, a reflexive pronoun is used before faire. This is common for services received by oneself.

Subject + Reflexive Pronoun + Faire (conjugated) + Infinitive + Direct Object (if any)

Je me fais couper les cheveux. (I'm getting my hair cut.)

Nous nous faisons livrer des pizzas. (We're having pizzas delivered to ourselves.)

This se faire construction is a very idiomatic way to express having a service done for oneself by an unspecified professional.

When To Use It

The causative faire is a highly versatile and frequently used structure in French, extending its utility beyond simple delegation. It allows for the expression of indirect causality in numerous contexts.

1. Services and Delegated Tasks:

This is the most direct application, indicating that you are arranging for someone else to perform a service or a task for you, often for payment or as an instruction.

Je fais réparer mon vélo. (I'm having my bike repaired.) – Implies a mechanic.
Nous avons fait construire une nouvelle cuisine. (We had a new kitchen built.) – Implies a builder or contractor.
Le manager fait traduire le rapport. (The manager has the report translated.) – Implies a translator.

2. Causing an Effect or Reaction:

Faire + infinitive can describe making something happen or causing someone to experience a feeling or perform an action, even without direct orders. This applies to both emotional responses and natural phenomena.

Ce film fait pleurer les spectateurs. (This film makes the spectators cry.) – The film is the emotional trigger.
Le soleil fait mûrir les tomates. (The sun makes the tomatoes ripen.) – Natural causation.
Son histoire a fait réfléchir tout le monde. (His story made everyone think.) – Intellectual impact.

3. Giving Instructions or Orders:

When you instruct or compel someone to do something, especially in a more formal or authoritative context, the causative faire with an à agent is appropriate.

La maîtresse fait écrire les mots aux élèves. (The teacher makes the students write the words.)
Je vous fais refaire ce devoir. (I'm making you redo this assignment.)

4. Informing or Announcing (Idiomatic Expressions):

Several fixed expressions use faire + infinitive to convey communication or understanding.

faire savoir (to let know, to inform): Je lui ferai savoir la décision demain. (I will let him know the decision tomorrow.)
faire comprendre (to make understand, to explain): Comment leur faire comprendre la gravité de la situation ? (How can we make them understand the seriousness of the situation?)
faire voir (to show): Il m'a fait voir ses photos de vacances. (He showed me his holiday photos.)

5. Self-Beneficial Actions (Se faire + Infinitive):

As mentioned, the reflexive form is used when the subject benefits from an action performed by an external, often unspecified, agent. This is extremely common for personal services.

Elle se fait coiffer chaque mois. (She gets her hair done every month.)
Nous nous faisons livrer les courses à domicile. (We have our groceries delivered to our home.)

Utilizing faire in these diverse contexts allows for a more fluid and authentic expression in French, reflecting a sophisticated understanding of agency and cause-and-effect relationships.

Common Mistakes

The causative faire is a common pitfall for French learners, largely due to its unique rules regarding past participle agreement and pronoun placement. Recognizing and correcting these errors is essential for B1 proficiency.

1. Invariable Fait in Compound Tenses:

This is perhaps the most persistent error. In the causative construction (faire + infinitive), the past participle fait never agrees in gender or number, even if a direct object precedes it. This is because faire here functions as an auxiliary, and the action is attributed to the infinitive, not to fait itself.

Incorrect: Les lettres que j'ai faites écrire. (The letters that I had written.)
Correct: Les lettres que j'ai fait écrire. (The letters that I had written.)
Why it's wrong: Learners often apply the standard rule for past participle agreement with a preceding direct object (e.g., la voiture que j'ai achetée). However, fait in this construction is exempt. Think of it as avoir + faire (invariable) + infinitive.

2. Incorrect Pronoun Placement:

Learners frequently place pronouns before the infinitive rather than before the conjugated faire. Remember, the faire + infinitive unit is treated as a single verbal block, and pronouns attach to faire.

Incorrect: Je fais le réparer. (I'm having it repaired.)
Correct: Je le fais réparer. (I'm having it repaired.)
Why it's wrong: It's tempting to attach the pronoun directly to the verb it logically modifies (réparer). However, French grammar dictates that all relevant pronouns precede the conjugated auxiliary faire in this structure.

3. Omitting à when Specifying the Agent:

When both a direct object for the infinitive and an explicit agent are present, the agent must be introduced by à (or par if emphasizing who is doing it). Omitting à creates an ungrammatical sentence or alters the meaning.

Incorrect: Je fais lire mon fils le livre. (This phrasing makes mon fils appear as a direct object of lire, which is already le livre.)
Correct: Je fais lire le livre à mon fils. (I make my son read the book.)
Why it's wrong: Without à, the sentence structure implies that mon fils is what's being read, which is illogical. The à clarifies that mon fils is the indirect object, the agent to whom the action is directed.

4. Confusing faire with faire faire:

Faire alone means 'to do' or 'to make.' Faire faire explicitly means 'to have something done' or 'to have something made.' Using one when the other is intended changes the meaning significantly.

J'ai fait mon gâteau. (I made my cake.) – Direct action.
J'ai fait faire mon gâteau. (I had my cake made.) – Indirect action, someone else baked it.
Why it's wrong: The duplication of faire is not redundant but crucial. The first faire is the causative auxiliary, the second faire is the main verb 'to make'. Misunderstanding this distinction leads to incorrect attribution of agency.

By carefully reviewing these patterns, you can avoid common errors and develop a more accurate and idiomatic command of the causative faire.

Contrast With Similar Patterns

To fully appreciate the precise function of the causative faire, it is helpful to distinguish it from other seemingly similar or related French grammatical structures. This contrast highlights its unique role in expressing causation and delegated action.

1. Causative Faire vs. Direct Action (Active Voice):

The most fundamental contrast. The active voice states that the subject performs the action. Causative faire states the subject causes the action to be performed by someone else.

| Causative Faire (Indirect Action) | Direct Action (Active Voice) |

| :---------------------------------------------- | :------------------------------------ |

| Je fais couper mes cheveux. (I have my hair cut.) | Je coupe mes cheveux. (I cut my hair.) |

| Elle fait laver la voiture. (She has the car washed.) | Elle lave la voiture. (She washes the car.) |

| Il fait construire un mur. (He has a wall built.) | Il construit un mur. (He builds a wall.) |

In the causative, there is always an implicit or explicit agent performing the infinitive's action. In the active voice, the subject is the direct performer.

2. Causative Faire vs. Laisser + Infinitive:

Laisser (to let, to allow) followed by an infinitive shares the same word order rules as faire + infinitive, especially for pronoun placement. However, their meanings are diametrically opposed: faire implies compulsion or instigation, while laisser implies permission or non-intervention.

| Causative Faire (To Make/Cause) | Laisser + Infinitive (To Let/Allow) |

| :---------------------------------------------- | :-------------------------------------- |

| Je fais entrer les invités. (I make the guests come in.) | Je laisse entrer les invités. (I let the guests come in.) |

| Elle fait partir son fils. (She makes her son leave.) | Elle laisse partir son fils. (She lets her son leave.) |

| Le froid fait fermer la fenêtre. (The cold makes the window close.) | Le vent laisse la fenêtre ouverte. (The wind leaves the window open.) |

Both constructions place pronouns before the conjugated faire or laisser. The key is the semantic difference: causation vs. permission.

3. Causative Faire vs. Passive Voice (Être + Past Participle):

Both describe an action performed on a subject, but the focus differs. Causative faire keeps the instigator as the sentence subject. The passive voice focuses on the recipient of the action as the subject.

French often prefers causative faire or se faire over the explicit passive voice for certain contexts, especially services.

| Causative Faire (Focus on Instigator) | Passive Voice (Focus on Recipient) |

| :-------------------------------------------------------------------- | :---------------------------------------------------------------- |

| Je fais réparer la voiture par le mécanicien. (I have the car repaired by the mechanic.) | La voiture est réparée par le mécanicien. (The car is repaired by the mechanic.) |

| Ils font peindre la maison. (They're having the house painted.) | La maison est peinte. (The house is painted.) |

The causative faire allows the subject to maintain an active role as the cause, even when not the direct performer. The passive voice emphasizes the state or result for the grammatical subject. In French, the passive voice is generally used less frequently than in English, with on or se faire often serving as more idiomatic alternatives when the agent is less important.

Real Conversations

The causative faire is a cornerstone of natural French communication, appearing in various registers from informal messaging to professional correspondence. Its conciseness makes it highly practical in everyday situations.

1. Arranging a Service (Text Message):

Moi: Salut! Tu sais où je peux faire imprimer mes photos de vacances? (Hey! Do you know where I can get my holiday photos printed?)

Ami(e): Oui, va chez PhotoPlus, ils te les feront vite. Ou tu peux les faire livrer chez toi. (Yes, go to PhotoPlus, they'll do them quickly for you. Or you can have them delivered to your place.)

- Here, faire imprimer and les faire livrer are common ways to discuss obtaining services without detailing the agent.

2. Expressing Caused Emotion (Social Media Comment):

Utilisateur A: J'ai vu le nouveau film de Dupont. Il m'a fait rire du début à la fin! (I saw Dupont's new film. It made me laugh from beginning to end!)

Utilisateur B: C'est vrai, il fait toujours pleurer ou rire, jamais rien entre les deux. (It's true, he always makes you cry or laugh, never anything in between.)

- Faire rire and faire pleurer are idiomatic to describe emotional impact.

3. Giving Instructions in a Work Context (Email):

Subject

Rappel - Mise à jour du document X

Chère équipe, Je vous demande de faire relire le document X par deux personnes avant l'envoi final. Nous devons faire valider toutes les données par le service juridique. (Dear team, I ask you to have document X reread by two people before final submission. We must have all data validated by the legal department.)

- Faire relire and faire valider are professional ways to assign tasks or request external approval.

4. Personal Care (Casual Conversation):

Cliente: Je voudrais prendre rendez-vous pour une nouvelle coiffure. J'aimerais me faire couper et teindre les cheveux. (I'd like to make an appointment for a new hairstyle. I'd like to get my hair cut and dyed.)

Coiffeuse: D'accord, pour quand aimeriez-vous vous faire coiffer ? (Okay, for when would you like to get your hair done?)

- Se faire couper and se faire teindre are the standard reflexive causative forms for personal beauty services.

These examples underscore the natural integration of the causative faire into daily French, making it indispensable for fluent and authentic expression.

Quick FAQ

Q: Does faire always mean 'to make' or 'to do' in this construction?

Not directly. While faire independently means 'to make' or 'to do,' in the causative structure (faire + infinitive), it functions as a specialized auxiliary. Its meaning shifts to 'to cause to happen,' 'to have something done,' or 'to make someone do something,' where the subject instigates the infinitive's action rather than performing it themselves.

Q: Can I use faire with any infinitive?

Generally, yes, provided the action expressed by the infinitive can logically be caused or instigated. Common examples include faire manger (to make eat), faire lire (to make read), faire construire (to have built). However, usage requires logical sense; for instance, faire mourir (to cause to die) is grammatically possible but often carries a specific, sometimes dramatic, connotation of active killing, distinct from death by natural causes.

Q: What's the difference between faire + infinitif and demander à quelqu'un de faire quelque chose?

Both convey instruction, but faire + infinitif is typically more concise and direct. Demander à quelqu'un de faire quelque chose explicitly states a request or command. The faire causative can imply a command, a request, or simply arranging a task, often with less emphasis on the directive aspect. For instance, Je fais préparer le café à ma collègue (I have my colleague prepare the coffee) could be a routine arrangement, whereas Je demande à ma collègue de préparer le café (I ask my colleague to prepare the coffee) is a more explicit request.

Q: Why does French use this structure so much, while English has various phrases like 'have something done'?

French grammar often prioritizes conveying the logical relationship between an action and its instigator efficiently. The faire causative allows the subject (the causer) to remain active, even if another agent physically performs the action. This provides an economical way to express indirect agency, focusing on the cause rather than a complex passive construction. It's an ingrained linguistic pattern that streamlines expression.

Q: Is it grammatically correct to have faire faire (two faire verbs) together? What does it mean?

Yes, faire faire is perfectly correct and very common. It means 'to have something made' or 'to have something done.' The first faire acts as the causative auxiliary, and the second faire is the infinitive verb meaning 'to make' or 'to do.' For example, Je fais faire un gâteau pour l'anniversaire. (I'm having a cake made for the birthday.) It explicitly states that the making of the cake is delegated.

Q: Does the causative faire always require an explicit agent (the person doing the action)?

No. The agent is often omitted when it's obvious, unknown, or unimportant, especially in contexts of professional services. For example, Je fais réparer mon téléphone. implies a repair technician without needing to state par le technicien. You only explicitly state the agent with à (or par) if it adds necessary clarity, emphasis, or if the agent is not easily inferable.

Conjugating 'Faire' in the Causative

Subject	Faire (Present)	Infinitive	Example
Je	fais	réparer	Je fais réparer
Tu	fais	réparer	Tu fais réparer
Il/Elle	fait	réparer	Il fait réparer
Nous	faisons	réparer	Nous faisons réparer
Vous	faites	réparer	Vous faites réparer
Ils/Elles	font	réparer	Ils font réparer

Meanings

The causative structure indicates that the subject is causing an action to happen, rather than performing it directly.

Service Causative

Having a professional perform a service.

“Je fais construire une maison.”

“Elle fait réparer son ordinateur.”

Command Causative

Ordering someone to do something.

“Le professeur fait écrire les élèves.”

“Il fait sortir le chien.”

Reference Table

Reference table for French Causative: Having Things Done (Faire + Infinitive)
Form	Structure	Example
Affirmative	S + Faire + Inf	Je fais réparer.
Negative	S + ne + Faire + pas + Inf	Je ne fais pas réparer.
Question	Faire + S + Inf?	Fais-tu réparer?
Pronoun	S + Pronoun + Faire + Inf	Je le fais réparer.
Past	S + Avoir + fait + Inf	J'ai fait réparer.
Agent	S + Faire + Inf + par + Agent	Je fais réparer par lui.

Formality Spectrum

Formal

Nous faisons construire une demeure.

Nous faisons construire une demeure. (Real estate)

Neutral

Nous faisons construire une maison.

Nous faisons construire une maison. (Real estate)

Informal

On se fait construire une baraque.

On se fait construire une baraque. (Real estate)

Slang

On se fait monter une piaule.

On se fait monter une piaule. (Real estate)

The Causative Flow

Faire

Action

réparer to repair
laver to wash

Agent

par le mécanicien by the mechanic

Examples by Level

Je fais couper mes cheveux.

I am having my hair cut.

Il fait réparer son vélo.

He is having his bike repaired.

Nous faisons laver la voiture.

We are having the car washed.

Elle fait préparer le dîner.

She is having dinner prepared.

Je ne fais pas réparer ma voiture.

I am not having my car repaired.

Fais-tu nettoyer ta chambre ?

Are you having your room cleaned?

Ils font construire une maison.

They are having a house built.

Elle fait manger les enfants.

She is making the children eat.

Je la fais réparer demain.

I am having it repaired tomorrow.

Il fait signer le contrat à son avocat.

He is having his lawyer sign the contract.

Nous faisons refaire la cuisine par un artisan.

We are having the kitchen redone by a craftsman.

Elle se fait faire un tatouage.

She is getting a tattoo done.

J'ai fait réparer ma voiture hier.

I had my car repaired yesterday.

Il aurait dû faire vérifier les freins.

He should have had the brakes checked.

Elle fait venir le plombier.

She is having the plumber come over.

Ils se sont fait voler leur sac.

They had their bag stolen.

Le gouvernement a fait voter cette loi controversée.

The government had this controversial law passed.

Elle fait traduire son roman en plusieurs langues.

She is having her novel translated into several languages.

Il a fait savoir qu'il ne viendrait pas.

He let it be known that he would not come.

Nous ferons faire une expertise par un expert indépendant.

We will have an appraisal done by an independent expert.

Il s'est fait passer pour un expert.

He passed himself off as an expert.

Elle a fait valoir ses droits devant le tribunal.

She asserted her rights before the court.

On ne se laisse pas faire si facilement.

One doesn't let oneself be pushed around so easily.

Il a fait fi de toutes les recommandations.

He disregarded all recommendations.

Easily Confused

French Causative: Having Things Done (Faire + Infinitive) vs Passive Voice

Both describe actions done to objects.

French Causative: Having Things Done (Faire + Infinitive) vs Laisser + Infinitive

Both involve two verbs.

French Causative: Having Things Done (Faire + Infinitive) vs Verbs of Perception

Both use infinitive.

Common Mistakes

✗

J'ai ma voiture réparée.

✓

Je fais réparer ma voiture.

Literal translation of English structure.

✗

Je fais répare ma voiture.

✓

Je fais réparer ma voiture.

Conjugating the second verb.

✗

Je fais la réparer.

✓

Je la fais réparer.

Wrong pronoun placement.

✗

Je fais réparer par moi.

✓

Je fais réparer.

Redundant agent.

✗

Je ne fais réparer pas.

✓

Je ne fais pas réparer.

Negation placement.

✗

Fais tu réparer ?

✓

Fais-tu réparer ?

Missing hyphen in inversion.

✗

Il fait manger le chien.

✓

Il fait manger le chien.

Ambiguity of agent.

✗

J'ai fait réparée ma voiture.

✓

J'ai fait réparer ma voiture.

Agreement error with 'fait'.

✗

Je lui fais réparer la voiture.

✓

Je fais réparer la voiture par lui.

Confusing indirect object with agent.

✗

Je fais le lui réparer.

✓

Je le lui fais réparer.

Pronoun order.

✗

Il a fait que le médecin vienne.

✓

Il a fait venir le médecin.

Using 'que' instead of causative.

✗

Je me suis fait couper les cheveux.

✓

Je me suis fait couper les cheveux.

Agreement with 'fait' in reflexive.

Sentence Patterns

Je fais ___ mon/ma/mes ___.

Est-ce que tu fais ___ ton/ta/tes ___ ?

Je ne fais pas ___ mon/ma/mes ___.

J'ai fait ___ mon/ma/mes ___ par ___.

Real World Usage

Mechanic very common

Je fais réviser ma voiture.

Hairdresser very common

Je me fais couper les cheveux.

Contractor common

Je fais rénover ma cuisine.

Parenting common

Je fais manger les enfants.

Legal occasional

Je fais signer le contrat.

Texting common

Je me fais livrer une pizza.

💡

Pronoun Placement

Always put pronouns before the conjugated 'faire'. Never before the infinitive.

⚠️

No Agreement

In the passé composé, 'fait' never agrees with the object.

🎯

Agent Marker

Use 'par' for the person doing the action, not 'à' unless it's a command.

💬

Everyday Usage

Use this structure to sound like a native when talking about services.

Smart Tips

Always use 'faire' + infinitive.

J'ai eu ma voiture réparée. → J'ai fait réparer ma voiture.

Place them before 'faire'.

Je fais la réparer. → Je la fais réparer.

Use 'par' for the person doing the work.

Je fais réparer la voiture à le mécanicien. → Je fais réparer la voiture par le mécanicien.

Don't agree 'fait'.

J'ai faite réparer ma voiture. → J'ai fait réparer ma voiture.

Pronunciation

fə-zɔ̃

Liaison

Faisons (fə-zɔ̃) has a specific pronunciation.

Question

Fais-tu réparer ? ↗

Rising intonation for yes/no questions.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Faire is the boss, the infinitive is the worker.

Visual Association

Imagine yourself sitting in a chair while a robot (the infinitive) does the work for you.

Rhyme

Pour que le travail soit bien fait, utilise le verbe faire et l'infinitif après.

Story

I wanted a new house. I didn't build it. I made the builders build it. Je fais construire ma maison.

Word Web

Subject is 'Je'.

Choose the correct sentence. Multiple Choice

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Je la fais réparer.

Pronoun before 'faire'.

Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

J'ai fait réparée ma voiture.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: J'ai fait réparer ma voiture.

No agreement with 'fait'.

Transform to causative. Sentence Transformation

Je répare ma voiture. ->

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Je fais réparer ma voiture.

Standard causative.

Match the causative to the meaning. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I have my house built.

Causative meaning.

Conjugate 'faire' for 'Nous'. Conjugation Drill

Nous ___ laver la voiture.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: faisons

Correct conjugation.

Order the words. Sentence Building

la / fais / réparer / Je / .

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Je la fais réparer.

Pronoun order.

Is this true? True False Rule

The infinitive verb changes based on the subject.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False

Infinitive never changes.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises

Fill in the correct form of 'faire'.

Je ___ réparer ma voiture.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: fais

Subject is 'Je'.

Choose the correct sentence. Multiple Choice

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Je la fais réparer.

Pronoun before 'faire'.

Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

J'ai fait réparée ma voiture.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: J'ai fait réparer ma voiture.

No agreement with 'fait'.

Transform to causative. Sentence Transformation

Je répare ma voiture. ->

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Je fais réparer ma voiture.

Standard causative.

Match the causative to the meaning. Match Pairs

Je fais construire ma maison.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I have my house built.

Causative meaning.

Conjugate 'faire' for 'Nous'. Conjugation Drill

Nous ___ laver la voiture.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: faisons

Correct conjugation.

Order the words. Sentence Building

la / fais / réparer / Je / .

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Je la fais réparer.

Pronoun order.

Is this true? True False Rule

The infinitive verb changes based on the subject.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False

Infinitive never changes.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

10 exercises

Translate into French Translation

I make them laugh.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Je les fais rire.

Which sentence correctly uses the agent 'à'? Multiple Choice

Choose the correct one:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Je fais lire un livre à ma fille.

Match the French to the English Match Pairs

Match the pairs:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Faire cuire=To cook/bake, Faire savoir=To let someone know, Faire venir=To send for, Faire peur=To scare

Complete the reflexive causative. Fill in the Blank

Tu ___ fais couper les cheveux ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: te

Order the negative causative. Sentence Reorder

Arrange these words:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Je ne le fais pas construire

Fix the pronoun placement. Error Correction

Il veut faire nous travailler.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Il veut nous faire travailler.

Select the correct past tense form. Multiple Choice

Nous les avons ___ chanter.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: fait

Translate 'I am having a pizza delivered'. Translation

Translate:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Je me fais livrer une pizza.

Match the context to the phrase. Match Pairs

Match them:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Garage=Faire réparer, Coiffeur=Se faire couper, Cuisine=Faire cuire, École=Faire étudier

Choose the correct agent marker. Fill in the Blank

J'ai fait peindre la chambre ___ un professionnel.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: par

Score: /10

FAQ (8)

Most transitive verbs work well. Intransitive verbs are rarer.

In the causative, 'fait' is followed by an infinitive, blocking agreement.

Use 'par' for the agent of the action, 'à' for the person being directed.

It is used in all registers, from casual to formal.

Yes: 'Je ferai réparer ma voiture'.

Then don't use 'faire'. Just use the verb.

Extremely common.

Yes: 'Je me fais couper les cheveux'.

Scaffolded Practice

1

2

3

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Hacer + Infinitive

Pronoun placement rules differ slightly.

German moderate

Lassen + Infinitive

German uses 'lassen' while French uses 'faire'.

Japanese low

Causative form (-seru)

Japanese changes the verb ending, French adds a helper verb.

Arabic low

Form IV/II verbs

Arabic is highly synthetic; French is analytic.

Chinese moderate

使 (shǐ) / 让 (ràng)

Chinese has no conjugation or agreement.

English partial

Have + Object + Past Participle

English uses the past participle, French uses the infinitive.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Certainty vs. Uncertainty: Choosing Between Indicative and Subjunctive

French Passive Voice: How to say 'is done' (La voix passive)

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French Causative: Having Things Done (Faire + Infinitive)

Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Overview

How This Grammar Works

Word Order Rules

Formation Pattern

When To Use It

Common Mistakes

Contrast With Similar Patterns

Real Conversations

Quick FAQ

Conjugating 'Faire' in the Causative

Meanings

Service Causative

Command Causative

Reference Table

Formality Spectrum

The Causative Flow

Action

Agent

Examples by Level

Easily Confused

Common Mistakes

Sentence Patterns

Real World Usage

Pronoun Placement

No Agreement

Agent Marker

Everyday Usage

Smart Tips

Pronunciation

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Visual Association

Rhyme

Story

Word Web

Challenge

Cultural Notes

Did You Know?

Conversation Starters

Journal Prompts

Common Mistakes

Test Yourself

Practice Exercises

Practice Bank

FAQ (8)

Scaffolded Practice

1

2

3

4

Mastery Progress

In Other Languages

Learning Path

Prerequisites

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