THE CAUSATIVE FAIRE

THE CAUSATIVE FAIREDo you do your own chores, or have them done for you?

The causative faire will help you express things that you dont do for yourself, but rather, have others do for you.

ENGLISH/FRENCH CONTRAST:

in English we use the verb have, to express this idea. For example, I have my dry cleaning done there, or Ill have Johnny come over and mow the lawn.

But in French, we use faire.

Conjugated faire + infinitive = causative faire

Examples:

Je fais tondre la pelouse.I have the lawn mown.

Ma mre fait nettoyer la maison.My mother has the house cleaned.

Tu te coiffes, ou tu te fais coiffer?Do you do your hair, or do you have it done?

Il ne fait pas dblayer la neige il la dblaie!He doesnt have the snow shoveled he shovels it!

Dont get confused!

Many household chores in French use the verb faire, because it means to do. These faire chores can be used in the causative faire also.

In that case, do not do anything differently!

Conjugated faire + infinitive faire

Je fais faire la vaisselleI have the dishes done

Nous faisons faire la lessive le dimanche.We have the laundry done on Sundays.

Using different tenses and multiple verbs:

Sample sentence: Je fais tondre la pelouse.

Pass compos:Jai fait tondre la pelouse. = I had the lawn mown

Imparfait:Je faisais tondre la pelouse = I used to have the lawn mown

Futur proche:Je vais faire tondre la pelouse = Im going to have the lawn mown

VouloirJe veux faire tondre la pelouse = I want to have the lawn mown

AimerJaime faire tondre la pelouse = I like having the lawn mown

The reason why the causative faire should make sense to you is that when you have something done, you make someone else do it.

(faire = to do / to make)

Making others do things:

Je fais manger mon fils.I make my son eat.

Les serpents font pleurer lenfant.Snakes make the child cry.

Le prof fait crire souvent les tudiants.The teacher makes the students write often

Object pronouns!!

Je lui fais faire la lessive.Im making him do the laundry.

Je ne fais pas la lessive, je lui fais la faire.Im not doing the laundry, Im making him do it.

Object pronouns (contd)

Question: Tu balaies le garage?Answer: Non, je le fais balayer.

Question: Tu fais la cuisine?Answer: Non, je la fais faire.

Question: Quest-ce que ton prof vous fait faire?Answer: Il nous fait discuter lhistoire du monde.

Question: Tu augmentes tes notes?Answer: Oui, mes parents me font les augmenter.