A comprehensive guide to understanding the difference between the French verbs faire (to make/do) and rendre (to render/return), including usage, examples, and explanations.
Understanding the difference between faire and rendre is key to mastering French verb usage. Faire is used for making, doing, or causing something, while rendre means to return something or to make something become a certain state. Here’s a breakdown of their meanings, usage, and examples:
Meanings
- Faire = to make, to do, to cause
- Rendre = to return, to give back, to render, to make (someone/something become a certain state)
What are the core meanings of the French verbs 'faire' and 'rendre'?
'Faire' means to make, do, or cause; 'rendre' means to return, give back, render, or make someone/something become a certain state.
'Faire' involves making, doing, or causing something, while 'rendre' involves returning something or causing a change in state.
Usage
- Use faire when talking about creating, performing an action, or causing something to happen.
- Use rendre when talking about giving something back, submitting something, or causing someone/something to be in a different state.
Examples
- Faire: Je fais mes devoirs. (I do my homework.)
- Rendre: Je rends le livre à la bibliothèque. (I return the book to the library.)
- Rendre + adjective: Ce film me rend heureux. (This movie makes me happy.)
Common Expressions with Faire
- faire la cuisine (to cook)
- faire une promenade (to take a walk)
- faire attention (to pay attention)
- faire semblant (to pretend)
Common Expressions with Rendre
- rendre visite à quelqu’un (to visit someone)
- rendre un devoir (to hand in homework)
- rendre service (to do a favor)
- rendre fou/heureux/triste (to drive crazy/make happy/make sad)
Summary
| Aspect | Faire | Rendre |
|---|---|---|
| Core meaning | to make, to do, to cause | to return, to give back, to render, to make (someone/something become) |
| Usage | Creating or performing an action | Returning something or causing a change in state |
| Example | Je fais un gâteau. (I make a cake.) | Je rends le gâteau à ma mère. (I give the cake back to my mother.) |
| With adjectives | N/A | Rendre + adjective (Ce bruit me rend fou.) |
Understanding these distinctions will help you choose the right verb and express yourself more precisely in French.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
