Pronoun Position with 'Faire' (Je le fais réparer)
faire, and never add agreement to fait in causative compound tenses.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
When using 'faire' + infinitive, object pronouns must sit directly before the verb 'faire', not the infinitive.
- Pronouns go before 'faire': Je le fais réparer (I have it repaired).
- Never place pronouns before the infinitive: Incorrect: Je fais le réparer.
- In negative sentences, 'ne' and 'pas' surround 'faire': Je ne le fais pas réparer.
Overview
Mastering French grammar requires understanding structures that have no direct English equivalent. The causative construction, formed with faire + infinitive, is one such essential pattern. It allows you to express that the subject causes an action to be performed by someone or something else, translating to "to have something done" or "to make someone do something." For B2 learners, using this structure correctly signals a sophisticated command of the language, particularly when pronouns are involved.
The core challenge is that pronoun placement with faire causatif breaks the standard pattern you've learned for other two-verb constructions (like vouloir or pouvoir). Instead of placing the pronoun before the infinitive it relates to, all object pronouns are systematically moved to a position immediately preceding the conjugated form of faire. This article provides a comprehensive breakdown of this rule, explaining the linguistic principles behind it, detailing its formation in various contexts, and highlighting common errors to avoid.
How This Grammar Works
faire + infinitive functions as a single, indivisible verbal unit. In this structure, faire acts as a semi-auxiliary verb, creating a new complex verb. It effectively absorbs the infinitive that follows, and this new faire-verb unit takes on all the objects of the action.faire.Je veux lire le livre (I want to read the book). The object le livre belongs to lire, so its pronoun le is placed before lire: Je veux le lire. The verbs veux and lire remain syntactically separate.Je fais lire le livre à Paul (I make Paul read the book). The entire phrase faire lire acts as the core action. When we pronominalize le livre, the pronoun le must precede faire, not lire:Je le fais lire à Paul.(I make Paul read it.)
faire + infinitive block. The same principle applies to the agent (the person performing the action). In the sentence above, Paul is the agent.lire already has a direct object (le livre), the agent Paul is introduced as an indirect object with à. If we pronominalize à Paul, we use an indirect object pronoun (lui), which also precedes faire:Je lui fais lire le livre.(I make him read the book.)
me, te, le, lui, y, en, etc.). They are all drawn to the front of the causative block, clustering before the conjugated form of faire. The verb laisser (to let, allow) functions identically, reinforcing this unique grammatical behavior.faire.Formation Pattern
Subject + ne (optional) + [Pronoun Cluster] + Conjugated faire + pas (optional) + Infinitive
faire
faire according to the standard French double pronoun order. This entire cluster moves as a single unit.
me, te, se, nous, vous | Il se le fait couper. | He has it cut for himself. |
le, la, l', les | Elle le lui fait lire. | She makes him read it. |
lui, leur | Tu leur en faisais acheter. | You used to make them buy some. |
y | Je l'y fais toujours déposer. | I always have it dropped off there. |
en | Nous vous en ferons envoyer. | We will have some sent to you. |
Je le fais réparer. | I am having it repaired. |
Elle ne se l'est pas fait livrer. | She didn't have it delivered to herself. |
Le faites-vous vérifier ? | Are you having it checked? |
Fais-le-lui savoir ! | Let him know (it)! |
Ne le faites pas tomber ! | Don't make it fall! |
faire causatif is the behavior of its past participle, fait, in compound tenses like the passé composé. The past participle fait is always invariable in this construction. It never agrees in gender or number with a preceding direct object pronoun.
La voiture ? Je l'ai fait réparer. (Not faite)
Les décisions ? Il les a fait prendre. (Not faites)
fait invariable? Grammatically, the preceding direct object pronoun (l', les) is considered the object of the infinitive (réparer, prendre), not of faire. The verb faire is simply causing the action to occur. Since the direct object does not belong to the verb conjugated with avoir (which is faire), the agreement rule is not triggered. This is a strict and absolute rule.
When To Use It
faire causatif is used to articulate that the subject is not the direct performer of an action but its instigator. This is crucial for expressing delegation, influence, and indirect agency.- 1To Have a Service Performed
Je fais réparer mon ordinateur.→Je le fais réparer.(I'm having my computer repaired. → I'm having it repaired.)Nous allons faire construire notre maison.(We are going to have our house built.)
- 1To Make Someone Do Something (Compel or Persuade)
à) if it does.Le froid fait pleurer les enfants.(The cold makes the children cry.) →Le froid les fait pleurer.Le sergent fait nettoyer les toilettes aux nouvelles recrues.(The sergeant makes the new recruits clean the toilets.) →Il les leur fait nettoyer.(He makes them clean them.)
- 1To Cause an Event or State
Cette nouvelle m'a fait beaucoup de peine.(This news caused me a lot of pain.)Son discours a fait réfléchir tout le monde.(His speech made everyone think.)
- 1Reflexive Causative:
se faire+ Infinitive
Elle se fait couper les cheveux tous les mois.(She gets her hair cut every month.)Il s'est fait voler son téléphone dans le métro.(He had his phone stolen on the metro.)Je me suis fait faire un costume sur mesure.(I had a custom suit made for myself.)
Common Mistakes
- 1The Infinitive Trap: Placing the Pronoun Before the Infinitive
vouloir, pouvoir, or devoir.- Incorrect:
Je vais faire le réparer. - Correct:
Je vais le faire réparar.(I am going to have it repaired.) - Reason: The pronoun cannot separate the
faire+ infinitive unit. It must precede the entire block (faire réparer).
- 1Incorrect Agreement of
faitin Compound Tenses
- Incorrect:
Les photos que j'ai faites développer sont superbes. - Correct:
Les photos que j'ai fait développer sont superbes.(The photos I had developed are superb.) - Reason: As explained,
faitis always invariable in this construction. The direct object (les photos) belongs to the infinitive (développer), notfaire.
- 1Confusing the Agent's Pronoun (
levs.lui)
le, la, les) for an agent who should be an indirect object (lui, leur).- Rule: If the infinitive already has a direct object, the agent is indirect (
à->lui/leur). - Context: I make my son (
mon fils) do his homework (ses devoirs). - Incorrect:
Je le fais faire ses devoirs. - Correct:
Je lui fais faire ses devoirs.(I make him do his homework.) - Reason:
ses devoirsis the direct object offaire. Therefore,mon filsbecomes the indirect object agent.
- 1Incorrect Double Pronoun Order
faire, learners may jumble their order.- Context: I make him (
lui) eat it (la pomme->la). - Incorrect:
Je lui la fais manger. - Correct:
Je la lui fais manger. - Reason: The standard pronoun order (
le/la/lesbeforelui/leur) is maintained, and the resulting cluster (la lui) moves together beforefaire.
Real Conversations
This structure is not just a textbook rule; it is pervasive in everyday spoken and written French.
Arranging Services & Errands
- At a garage: Bonjour, je voudrais faire vérifier la pression des pneus, s'il vous plaît. (Hello, I'd like to have the tire pressure checked, please.)
- Texting a friend: Je me fais livrer une pizza, t'en veux ? (I'm having a pizza delivered, want some?)
- Planning home repairs: On doit faire remplacer la chaudière avant l'hiver. (We have to have the boiler replaced before winter.)
Workplace Communication (Email, Slack, Meetings)
- Delegating: Je vous fais suivre le document par email. (I'm having the document sent to you via email. / I'm forwarding you the document.)
- Requesting information: Le client nous a fait savoir qu'il serait en retard. (The client let us know that he would be late.)
- Giving instructions: Il faut leur faire signer la nouvelle clause de confidentialité. (We need to have them sign the new confidentiality clause.)
Social and Emotional Expressions
- Ce film m'a fait pleurer. (That movie made me cry.)
- Arrête, tu me fais rougir ! (Stop, you're making me blush!)
- Il m'a fait mourir de rire avec ses histoires. (He made me die laughing with his stories.)
Passive/Unfortunate Events (se faire)
- Fais attention, tu vas te faire renverser par une voiture. (Be careful, you're going to get hit by a car.)
- Elle s'est fait renvoyer de son travail. (She got fired from her job.)
Quick FAQ
- Q: Does
laisser(to let, allow) really work the same way? - A: Yes, for pronoun placement,
laisser+ infinitive is identical tofaire. The pronouns precedelaisser. The only difference is the meaning (permission vs. causation). Je le laisse partir.(I let him go.)Ne la lui laissez pas prendre.(Don't let her take it from him.)
- Q: What about verbs of perception like
voir,entendre,écouter? - A: This is an excellent point of contrast. Verbs of perception (
voir,entendre,sentir,écouter) are more flexible thanfaire. With them, the object pronoun can either precede the conjugated verb (like withfaire) or, in some cases, attach to the infinitive. The placement before the first verb is more common and standard. Je vois le train arriver.→Je le vois arriver.(I see it arriving.)J'entends les enfants crier.→Je les entends crier.(I hear them shouting.)- This flexibility highlights how uniquely rigid the
fairecausatif structure is.
- Q: How does the affirmative imperative work again? It seems different.
- A: It is. In the affirmative imperative, object pronouns follow the verb
faireand are connected with hyphens, maintaining their standard order. Fais-le !(Make him!) butFais-le réparer !(Have it repaired!)Faites-la-lui lire !(Have him read it!)- In the negative imperative, the normal rule applies:
Ne la lui faites pas lire !
- Q: You said the agent can be a direct object pronoun. When does that happen?
- A: The agent is a direct object only when the infinitive has no direct object of its own. This is the source of much confusion.
- Case 1 (Agent is Direct Object):
Je fais courir Paul.(courirhas no object). →Je le fais courir. - Case 2 (Agent is Indirect Object):
Je fais manger une pomme à Paul.(mangerhas an object,une pomme). →Je lui fais manger une pomme.
Causative Structure
| Subject | Pronoun | Faire (Conj) | Infinitive |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Je
|
le
|
fais
|
réparer
|
|
Tu
|
la
|
fais
|
laver
|
|
Il
|
le
|
fait
|
peindre
|
|
Nous
|
le
|
faisons
|
signer
|
|
Vous
|
le
|
faites
|
installer
|
|
Ils
|
le
|
font
|
nettoyer
|
Meanings
This structure is used to express that the subject is causing an action to be performed by someone else, rather than doing it themselves.
Causative
To have something done by another person.
“Je fais couper mes cheveux.”
“Elle fait construire sa maison.”
Forced action
To force or make someone do something.
“Il fait manger les enfants.”
“Elle fait travailler son équipe.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
S + Pron + Faire + Inf
|
Je le fais réparer
|
|
Negative
|
S + ne + Pron + Faire + pas + Inf
|
Je ne le fais pas réparer
|
|
Interrogative
|
Pron + Faire + S + Inf ?
|
Le fais-tu réparer ?
|
|
Indirect
|
S + Pron + Faire + Inf
|
Je lui fais manger
|
|
Passive Agent
|
S + Faire + Inf + par + Agent
|
Je le fais réparer par Paul
|
|
Reflexive
|
S + Faire + se + Inf
|
Je fais se laver l'enfant
|
Formality Spectrum
Je le fais réparer par un professionnel. (Repairing a car)
Je le fais réparer. (Repairing a car)
Je le fais réparer. (Repairing a car)
Je le fais arranger. (Repairing a car)
The Faire Magnet
Pronouns
- le it (m)
- la it (f)
- les them
Examples by Level
Je le fais réparer.
I have it repaired.
Tu la fais laver.
You have it (f) washed.
Il le fait peindre.
He has it painted.
Nous le faisons manger.
We make him eat it.
Je le fais construire.
I am having it built.
Elle la fait réparer.
She is having it (f) repaired.
Ils le font nettoyer.
They are having it cleaned.
Vous le faites signer.
You are having it signed.
Je ne le fais pas réparer.
I am not having it repaired.
Il le fait vérifier par le mécanicien.
He has it checked by the mechanic.
Elle la fait traduire par un expert.
She has it translated by an expert.
Nous le faisons installer demain.
We are having it installed tomorrow.
Je le lui fais savoir.
I am letting him know it.
Il la fait réviser avant l'examen.
He is having it reviewed before the exam.
Elle le fait livrer chez elle.
She is having it delivered to her place.
Nous le faisons valider par la direction.
We are having it validated by management.
Je le lui fais comprendre sans détour.
I am making him understand it clearly.
Il la fait restaurer malgré les coûts.
He is having it restored despite the costs.
Elle le fait modifier pour correspondre aux normes.
She is having it modified to meet standards.
Nous le faisons examiner par un comité spécial.
We are having it examined by a special committee.
Il le fait réécrire pour en parfaire le style.
He is having it rewritten to perfect the style.
Elle la fait authentifier par un expert renommé.
She is having it authenticated by a renowned expert.
Nous le faisons ratifier par l'assemblée.
We are having it ratified by the assembly.
Je le lui fais entendre à maintes reprises.
I am making him hear it repeatedly.
Easily Confused
Learners mix up whether the agent is the direct or indirect object.
Both are causative but 'laisser' implies permission.
Standard verb vs Causative.
Common Mistakes
Je fais le réparer
Je le fais réparer
Je le fais le réparer
Je le fais réparer
Je fais réparer le
Je le fais réparer
Je fais réparer lui
Je le fais réparer
Je ne fais pas le réparer
Je ne le fais pas réparer
Je le fais réparé
Je le fais réparer
Je fais le réparé
Je le fais réparer
Je fais le faire réparer
Je le fais réparer
Je lui fais réparer la voiture
Je fais réparer la voiture par lui
Je le fais à réparer
Je le fais réparer
Je le fais être réparé
Je le fais réparer
Je le fais à lui réparer
Je le lui fais réparer
Sentence Patterns
Je ___ fais réparer.
Je ne ___ fais pas réparer.
Je le fais ___ par le mécanicien.
___ le fais-tu réparer ?
Real World Usage
Je le fais réparer au garage.
Je le fais installer demain.
Je le fais signer par le client.
Je le fais faire par mon frère.
Je le fais laver à l'hôtel.
Je le fais manger ses légumes.
The Magnet Rule
No Infinitive Attachment
Negation Sandwich
Professionalism
Smart Tips
Check if the first is 'faire'. If so, pull the pronoun to the front.
Always sandwich 'faire' with 'ne' and 'pas'.
Treat 'lui' exactly like 'le'.
Focus on the pronoun position first, then the verb.
Pronunciation
Liaison
Faisons (fə-zɔ̃) and faites (fɛt) require careful liaison with following vowels.
Rising for questions
Le fais-tu réparer ↗?
Standard interrogative intonation.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Faire is the boss; the pronoun always sits on the boss's lap.
Visual Association
Imagine a magnet labeled 'Faire'. It pulls the pronoun 'le' or 'la' right out of the air and sticks it to itself, leaving the infinitive behind.
Rhyme
Before the faire, the pronoun must go, don't put it after, or the grammar won't flow.
Story
I have a broken watch. I take it to a watchmaker. I don't repair it myself. I say 'Je le fais réparer'. The 'le' is stuck to 'fais' like glue.
Word Web
Challenge
Write 5 sentences about things you have done by professionals today.
Cultural Notes
The causative is used heavily in professional life to show delegation.
Similar usage, but often more informal in spoken language.
Standard French usage applies in formal education.
Derived from Latin 'facere' (to make/do).
Conversation Starters
Qu'est-ce que tu fais réparer en ce moment ?
Fais-tu souvent construire des choses ?
Comment fais-tu valider tes projets ?
Fais-tu nettoyer ton appartement par quelqu'un ?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
Je ___ fais réparer.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Je ne fais pas le réparer.
Je répare la voiture.
le / fais / je / réparer
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Nous ___ le faire réparer.
Pronouns go before the infinitive.
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercisesJe ___ fais réparer.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Je ne fais pas le réparer.
Je répare la voiture.
le / fais / je / réparer
Je le fais signer.
Nous ___ le faire réparer.
Pronouns go before the infinitive.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercisesJe ___ fais laver les mains par l'infirmière.
I am making them read.
repasser / la / fais / Je
How do you say 'I make him eat'?
Match the sentences
Je ne fais le pas cuire.
Cette robe ? Je l'ai ___ faire hier.
Choose: 'He is getting a tattoo.'
I'm making her cry.
pas / ne / fais / les / Je / venir
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
Because in French, the pronoun must attach to the conjugated verb 'faire'.
Yes, 'lui' and 'leur' also go before 'faire'.
Yes, 'Je le fais manger' means I make him eat.
They both go before 'faire' in the standard order.
It is neutral and used in all registers.
Put 'ne' and 'pas' around 'faire'.
Yes, causative focuses on the subject's agency.
No, 'faire' is the auxiliary for causative.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Hacer + infinitive
Spanish allows the pronoun to be attached to the infinitive in some contexts.
Lassen + infinitive
German does not have clitic climbing.
Have + object + past participle
English uses a past participle, French uses an infinitive.
Causative form of verb
French uses a separate auxiliary verb.
Form IV or X verbs
Arabic modifies the verb root.
使 (shǐ) or 让 (ràng)
Chinese has no verb conjugation.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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