Faire is one of the most important and versatile verbs in French. It means "to do" or "to make", is used in many idiomatic expressions, and appears in numerous contexts beyond its core meanings.
Irregular Conjugations
Faire is highly irregular, with unique stems and endings in many tenses.
| Tense | French je-form | English I-form | French il/elle-form | English he/she-form |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Present | je fais (I do) | I do | il fait (he does) | he does |
| Passé composé | j'ai fait (I did/made) | I did/made | elle a fait (she did/made) | she did/made |
| Imparfait | je faisais (I used to do) | I used to do | il faisait (he used to do) | he used to do |
| Futur simple | je ferai (I will do) | I will do | elle fera (she will do) | she will do |
| Conditionnel présent | je ferais (I would do) | I would do | il ferait (he would do) | he would do |
| Subjonctif présent | que je fasse (that I do) | that I do | qu'il fasse (that he do) | that he do |
| Participe présent | faisant | doing/making | - | - |
| Participe passé | fait (done/made) | done/made | - | - |
Core Usage
Faire can mean simply to do or to make, but is often more about "doing" an activity or causing something to happen.
| Example | English Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Je fais mes devoirs. | I do my homework. | faire + object = do something |
| Il fait un gâteau. | He makes a cake. | faire + object = make something |
| Nous faisons du sport. | We do sports. | faire + de + activity = do [activity] |
| Tu fais la cuisine. | You cook. | faire + article + noun = perform task |
Idiomatic Expressions
Faire appears in many fixed expressions where it takes on specific meanings.
| Expression | English Meaning | Usage Example |
|---|---|---|
| faire attention | to be careful | Fais attention ! |
| faire la queue | to stand in line | On fait la queue. |
| faire semblant | to pretend | Elle fait semblant de dormir. |
| faire un voyage | to take a trip | Nous faisons un voyage en France. |
| ça fait ... | it’s been ... / that makes ... | Ça fait deux heures. |
| faire mieux | to do better | Je vais faire mieux. |
She pretends to be asleep.
Elle fait semblant de dormir.
"Faire semblant de" means "to pretend to." The preposition "de" is required before the infinitive.
Common Patterns
Here are some of the most common ways faire is used syntactically.
Faire + Noun
Simple "do" or "make" with a direct object.
- Je fais la vaisselle. (I do the dishes.)
- Ils font du bruit. (They make noise.)
I do the dishes.
Je fais la vaisselle.
"Faire la vaisselle" means "do the dishes." Use the definite article "la vaisselle."
Faire + de + Sport/Activity
Used to talk about doing certain activities or sports.
- Je fais du vélo. (I ride a bike.)
- Elle fait de la danse. (She does dance.)
Faire + Infinitive
Used to indicate causation — making someone do something, or something happen.
- Je fais réparer ma voiture. (I’m having my car repaired.)
- Elle fait tomber son livre. (She drops her book — literally “makes [it] fall.”)
Causative Structure: faire + infinitive
This construction is used when one person causes another to perform an action.
- Je fais nettoyer ma chambre. (I have my room cleaned.)
- Il fait écrire une lettre. (He makes [someone] write a letter.)
He makes someone write a letter.
Il fait écrire une lettre.
"Faire écrire" means "make (someone) write." Use the indefinite article "une lettre."
Examples in Context
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Fais ton lit. | Make your bed. |
| Il fait froid dehors. | It’s cold outside. |
| Qu’est-ce que tu fais ce soir ? | What are you doing tonight? |
| On fait une pause. | We’re taking a break. |
| Je fais changer mes lunettes. | I’m having my glasses changed. |
Faire is a powerful verb that goes far beyond just “do” and “make.” It’s a key part of countless everyday expressions and grammatical structures in French.
Il fait froid dehors.
It’s cold outside.
"Il fait froid" is a fixed expression meaning "it’s cold." "Dehors" means "outside."
Flashcards (1 of 23)
- Tense: Present
- English I-form: I do
- English he/she-form: he does
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
