This French 4 lesson explains faire causatif step by step, with examples in French and English. Then practise with the worksheet on faire causatif and check yourself with the quiz.
Quick answer: Causative faire means having something done or making someone do something: faire + infinitive. The subject does not perform the action; it causes it. Pronouns go before faire, the participle fait never agrees, and se faire + infinitive often describes something that happens to the subject, like getting a haircut.
Level: French 4 (high school, ACTFL Intermediate Mid) · Standards: ACTFL Intermediate Mid, WL 1.2 Interpretive, WL 1.3 Presentational, WL 4.1 Language Comparisons
Faire causatif: the lesson
What does causative faire mean?
In Jake fait réparer son vélo à Montréal — Jake is having his bike repaired in Montreal — Jake does not touch a wrench. Someone else repairs the bike. The structure faire + infinitive covers what English says with make, have or get: one verb, faire, is enough.
Definition
The causative construction uses a conjugated form of faire followed by an infinitive. The subject is the cause; a second person, the agent, does the action. The agent can be introduced by par or à, or can stay unnamed.
Which constructions should you know?
| Structure | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| faire + infinitif | have something done | Nous faisons peindre la cuisine. |
| faire + inf. + à / par | make someone do | Mme Diallo fait lire un conte aux élèves. |
| se faire + infinitif | have done to or for oneself | Léa se fait couper les cheveux. |
| laisser + infinitif | let, allow | Papa laisse mon frère choisir. |
Where do the pronouns go?
Rule: pronouns before faire
Object pronouns stand before faire or laisser, never before the infinitive. With a direct object and an agent, the direct pronoun comes first: le / la / les + lui / leur.
Examples
- Je le fais réparer. — I’m having it repaired.
- Il les fait rire. — He makes them laugh. (No object after the infinitive, so the agent is les.)
- Je le lui fais lire. — I make him read it.
- Ne le fais pas venir. — Don’t make him come.
- Fais-le venir. — Have him come.
Common mistakes
English speakers copy I had my bike repaired word for word. Say J’ai fait réparer mon vélo, never J’ai eu mon vélo réparé. Do not put the pronoun on the infinitive (Je fais le réparer is wrong), and do not agree fait: Les photos, je les ai fait imprimer.
Culture note
English borrowed laissez-faire straight from the French laisser faire, “to let things happen”. The same structure gives the everyday faire savoir, “to let someone know”.
Zoé’s tip
Count the people. If a second person does the action, think faire + infinitive and put every pronoun before faire. The infinitive stays on its own at the end.
Key points to remember
- Faire + infinitive: the subject causes an action that someone else performs.
- Pronouns go before faire (or laisser), never between faire and the infinitive: Je le fais réparer.
- With a direct object and an agent: le/la/les first, then lui/leur: Je le lui fais lire.
- In the passé composé, fait stays invariable: Je les ai fait réparer.
- Laisser + infinitive means to let or allow; se faire + infinitive means to have something done to or for oneself.
Having Things Done with Faire and Laisser: frequently asked questions
Does faire + infinitive always mean someone is forced to act?
No. It can mean forcing, as in Le coach fait courir les joueurs, but it often just means arranging for a service, as in Je fais réparer mon vélo. Context tells you which meaning applies.
Why do I say le lui and not lui le?
In French the direct object pronoun (le, la, les) comes before the indirect one (lui, leur). With causative faire, the same order applies: Il le lui fait lire. Both pronouns stay before faire.
Does the past participle fait agree with a preceding object?
No. In the causative construction, fait is invariable even when the object comes first: Les clés, je les ai fait refaire. This differs from the normal agreement rule with avoir.
What is the difference between se faire couper les cheveux and couper ses cheveux?
Se faire couper les cheveux means someone else, such as a hairdresser, cuts them for you. Couper ses cheveux means you cut them yourself. English speakers often mix the two.
How is laisser + infinitive different from faire + infinitive?
Laisser means to allow or let an action happen, while faire means to cause it. Pronouns follow the same rule: Je les laisse partir, Je les fais partir.