Faire Which means in French: How and When To Use It


Is faire essentially the most versatile French phrase? It simply could be! The phrase faire (to do/to make) is an irregular verb generally used all through the French language. Though faire is without doubt one of the most widespread French verbs, it may be difficult to grasp as a result of it has so many various meanings. Faire can be utilized in idiomatic expressions to speak concerning the climate, going purchasing, leisure actions, causes of different actions, and extra. 

Most typical faire meanings in English: to do/to make

There are a number of translations of the verb faire relying on the context, though the 2 commonest and direct translations are “to do,” similar to faire les devoirs (to do homework) and “to make,” as in faire le lit (to make the mattress). To comply with French grammar guidelines, maintain the verb within the infinitive type when it follows a conjugated verb. 

  • Qu’est-ce que vous aimez faire ? = What do you want to do?
  • J’aimerais faire une réservation. = I would really like to make a reservation. 
  • Qu’est-ce qu’on va faire demain ? = What are we going to do tomorrow? 
  • Qu’est-ce qu’on doit faire aujourd’hui ? = What do we now have to do at this time? 
  • Est-ce que tu peux m’apprendre à faire un gâteau ? = Are you able to educate me to make a cake? 

Conjugation of faire within the current tense

The current tense of faire tells you what often occurs or what is occurring. To make use of faire in a present-tense sentence, you’ll want the right kinds. Sadly, it doesn’t at all times comply with the sample of standard -RE verbs in French

Since faire is an irregular verb, you’ll must memorize this conjugation, however you’ll encounter these kinds typically in significant contexts similar to Rosetta Stone’s Dynamic Immersion methodology. 

je faisI do/makenous faisonswe do/make
tu faisYou do/make (casual)vous faitesYou do/make (plural/formal)
il/elle/on faithe/she/we do/makeils/elles fontThey do/make
  • Je fais des costumes pour mes shoppers. = I make fits for my shoppers. 
  • Qu’est-ce que tu fais ? = What are you doing
  • Nous faisons une tarte. = We are making a pie. 
  • Elles font un don de vêtements. = They are making a donation of garments. 

Methods to use faire prior to now tense 

Within the passé composé (easy previous), the French previous tense used for particular accomplished occasions prior to now, the previous participle is fait

  • J’ai fait la vaisselle. = I did the dishes. 
  • D’accord, j’ai fait votre réservation. Merci d’avoir appelé. = Okay, I have made your reservation. Thanks for calling.
  • Je suis désolé. J’ai fait une erreur. = I’m sorry. I made a mistake. 

Usually, the imparfait (imperfect) is the best way climate is expressed prior to now tense in French, because it’s the extra descriptive previous tense that refers to background data. This manner is il faisait. It’s additionally the third-person type to say what an individual was doing prior to now, or what they did repeatedly.

  • Il faisait trop froid pour faire de la plongée, alors nous sommes plutôt allés pêcher. = It was too chilly to go diving, so we went fishing as a substitute. 
  • Il a trouvé une grotte quand il faisait de la randonnée dans les bois. = He discovered a cave when he was mountain climbing within the woods.

Faire + infinitive 

The causative development of faire adopted by an infinitive verb ending in -ER, -IR, or -RE means “to have one thing completed” or “to trigger one thing to occur.” You’ll see this development typically when discussing cooking and making ready meals in French. 

  • Je fais cuire des pâtes. = I am cooking this pasta. (I’m inflicting it to cook dinner.)
  • Il a fait tomber sa glace. = He dropped his ice cream. (He brought on it to fall.)
  • J’ai fait griller cette viande pour le dîner. = I had this meat grilled for dinner.

Faire meanings with sports activities and actions

There are numerous sports activities and leisure actions that use faire the place we wouldn’t essentially translate it that method in English. It’d translate to “to go,” “to experience,” or be mixed with quite a lot of nouns for actions and sports activities the place English has a particular verb as a substitute. This checklist may help you fast-track your studying, so you possibly can speak about free-time actions. 

French Expression English Which meansInstance SentenceEnglish Which means
faire de la lugeto go sleddingLa famille fait de la luge.The household is sledding.
faire de la mototo experience a bikeJe fais de la moto.I’m driving a bike.
faire de la plongéeto diveLe garçon fait de la plongée.The boy is diving.
faire de la randonnéeto hikeElle fait de la randonnée à la montagne.She is mountain climbing within the mountains.
faire de la voileto sailNous faisons de la voile. We’re crusing.
faire du bateau (à voile)to boat (sail)Ils font du bateau à voile. They’re on a sailboat.
faire du chevalto experience horsesIls font du cheval sur la plage.They’re driving horses on the seashore. 
faire du jardinageto backyardMon grand-père aime faire du jardinage.My grandfather likes to backyard.
faire du patin à glaceto ice skateLa mère et sa fille font du patin à glace. The mom and her daughter are ice-skating.
faire du ski (de fond)to (cross-country) skiLes hommes font du ski de fond.The lads are cross-country snowboarding. 
faire du sportto do sports activities/to trainNous faisons du sport sur la plage. We train on the seashore. 
faire du véloto experience a bicycleIl fait du vélo.He’s driving a bicycle.
faire une promenadeto go for a stroll/strollChaque après-midi, il fait une promenade.Each afternoon, he takes a stroll.

Utilizing faire with climate expressions

The impersonal expression il fait is one attention-grabbing method that the French language expresses climate. The literal translation is “it’s doing/making,” however we wouldn’t translate it that instantly in English. Conversations concerning the climate are important phrases to make primary dialog, so be taught all those that use faire

French Expression English Which meansInstance SentenceEnglish Which means
faire beauto be good climateIl fait beau en été. It’s good out in the summertime.
faire chaudto be sizzlingIl fait chaud. Il y a du soleil.The climate is sizzling. It’s sunny.
faire fraisto be cool Il fait frais pendant la nuit.It’s cool throughout the evening.
faire froidto be chillyFerme la fenêtre ! Il fait froid !Shut the window! It’s chilly! 
faire mauvaisto be unhealthy climateIl fait mauvais. Il pleut. It’s unhealthy climate. It’s raining.
Quel temps fait-il ? What’s the climate like? Quel temps fait-il ? What’s the climate like? 

Different faire meanings and expressions

One other 12 translations are represented on this checklist of widespread faire meanings. Faire is a typical verb in idiomatic expressions or verb mixtures. As an illustration, English has borrowed savoir-faire, which means “to know the best way to do,” or “competence,” and laissez-faire, which means “to let do” or “to permit with a hands-off strategy.”

French ExpressionEnglish Which means
faire ami-ami avecto “buddy-up” to somebody 
faire considerationto concentrate
faire la fêteto rejoice/to welcome excitedly
faire la grasse matinéeto sleep in 
faire la grèveto strike (not work)
faire la queueto face in line/to line up
faire le pontto take a protracted weekend by taking a time off to affix a weekend and a public vacation
faire les bagages/la valiseto pack baggage/suitcase
faire les programsto run errands
faire les économiesto economize
faire peur à quelqu’unto scare somebody
faire semblant deto faux/to pretend

You’ll definitely add to this checklist if you’ll be able to faire consideration (listen) to the wide range of makes use of of faire in French.

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