Doing something (to make, to do) — is *faire. Changing someone or something’s state or condition (to render [something ...]), is rendre*. They’re related but used in different ways, so it helps to see examples side by side.
Difference
- Faire* means to make or to do. It’s one of the most common French verbs and can be used for creating, performing, or causing something.
- Rendre* means to render or to make (someone/something ...) + adjective. It’s used when someone or something causes a change in state or condition.
- They are not interchangeable because faire focuses on the action itself, while rendre focuses on the result of that action on someone or something.
Examples
- Je fais un gâteau. — I make a cake.
- Cette chanson me rend heureux. — This song makes me happy.
- Tu fais tes devoirs. — You do your homework.
- Le film m’a rendu triste. — The movie made me sad.
- Nous faisons réparer la voiture. — We have the car repaired.
- Cette peinture rend la pièce plus lumineuse. — This painting makes the room brighter.
Usage Tips
- Use faire when talking about doing or making something, especially tasks, creations, or activities.
- Use rendre when the focus is on causing a change in someone’s feelings, appearance, or condition. It’s often followed by an adjective or a pronoun (me, te, lui, etc.).
- Remember that rendre can also mean “to give back” (e.g., rendre un livre — to return a book), but that’s a different usage.
More Examples
faire + noun (make/do something)
- Elle fait la vaisselle. — She does the dishes.
- Nous faisons une promenade. — We’re going for a walk.
- Ils font du sport. — They do sports.
Fill in the blank with the correct verb: "Nous ______ une promenade."
faisons
"faisons" (from "faire") is correct because the sentence means "we’re going for a walk," which is an activity or action.
Fill in the blank with the correct verb: "Elle ______ la vaisselle."
fait
The correct verb is "fait" because the sentence means "She does the dishes," which is an action of doing.
rendre + pronoun + adjective (cause a change)
- Ce bruit me rend fou. — This noise drives me crazy.
- Cette nouvelle nous a rendus optimistes. — This news made us optimistic.
- La situation te rend nerveux. — The situation makes you nervous.
rendre + direct object (give back)
- Rends-moi mon stylo ! — Give me back my pen!
- Il a rendu le livre à la bibliothèque. — He returned the book to the library.
Summary
- Faire* = to make or do something (action-focused).
- Rendre* = to render or make someone/something + adjective (result-focused).
- Don’t confuse rendre (to cause a change) with simple faire (to do/make) or with the other meaning of rendre (to give back).
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
