Everything you need to know about the irregular French verb faire
Faire is one of the most common French verbs. It is irregular in conjugation and literally means "to do" or "to make." Faire is also used in numerous idiomatic expressions and in the causative construction.
To Do / To Make
Faire means "to do" and "to make" in most senses that these verbs are used in English:
- Je fais la lessive - I'm doing the laundry
Je fais mes devoirs - I'm doing my homework
Je fais du bricolage - I do odd jobs / DIY
Je fais un gâteau - I'm making a cake
Je fais des projets - I'm making plans
Je fais des progrès - I'm making progress
- When "to make" is followed by an adjective, it is translated by rendre:
That makes me happy - Ça me rend heureux
- "To make a decision" is translated by prendre une décision:
I made a decision - J'ai pris une décision
- Lesson on translating "to make"
Expressions with Faire
Faire is used in a number of idiomatic expressions, including some related to weather, sports, and math.
- Il fait du soleil - It's sunny
Il fait froid - It's cold out.
Je fais du ski - I ski.
Je fais du golf - I golf.
Deux et deux font quatre - Two plus two equals (makes) four.
Je fais de l'autostop - I'm hitchhiking.
Il fait à sa tête - He acts impulsively.
Ça fait parti de notre projet - That's part of our plan.
Causative
The causative construction faire + infinitive is used to describe when someone/something has something done, makes someone do something, or causes something to happen.
- Je fais laver la voiture - I'm having the car washed.
Il m'a fait laver la voiture - He made me wash the car.
Le froid fait geler l'eau - Cold makes water freeze.
Everything you need to know about the irregular French verb venir
Venir is one of the most common French verbs. It is irregular in conjugation and literally means "to come." It is also used in some idiomatic expressions and to conjugate the recent past.
To Come
Venir means "to come" in most senses that verb is used in English.
- Il vient à midi
He's coming at noon.
Je viens de Paris
I'm from (I come from) Paris.
Veux-tu venir avec nous ?
Do you want to come with us?
Viens vite !
Come (here) quickly!
Elle ne vient jamais aux réunions
She never comes to meetings.
Expressions with Venir
Venir is used in several idiomatic expressions:
- Tu dois faire venir le médecin
You have to send for the doctor.
Dans les années à venir...
In the years to come...
De là vient que...
The result (of that) is...
Recent past
Venir is commonly used to express the recent past - the idea that one has just done something.
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