3.13: Structure - Le verbe faire
- Page ID
- 109210
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)In this section, you will learn about the verb faire.
Listen to the audio clips that follow on this page to hear the French pronunciation of vocabulary and examples presented.
On étudie !
The verb Faire can translate into English in different ways depending on the context. It can mean: "to do"; "to make"; "to be" (weather); "to equal" (math); "to go", and more.
Here is how we conjugate faire in the present tense:
| Singulier | Pluriel |
|---|---|
| je fais | nous faisons |
| tu fais | vous faites |
| il, elle, on fait | ils, elles font |
(a) Most of the time faire means either "to do" or "to make". Thus, the question Qu'est-ce que tu fais ? could mean "What do you do?" or "What do you make?" depending on the context.
Faire can also be used to talk about what someone is doing now or soon, and what work people do in general. For example:
— Qu'est-ce que tu fais ce week-end ? (What are you doing this week-end?)
— Je travaille au restaurant. (I am working at the restaurant.)
— Que fait ton père ? (What does your father do?)
— Il est ingénieur. (He's an engineer.)
Below is a summary of different ways to use faire, followed by a list of common and useful expressions with faire.
(b) The verb faire can be used to talk about the weather.
— Quel temps fait-il ? (What's the weather like?)
— Il fait chaud ! (It's hot!)
(c) Expressions verbales avec faire. Faire is said in many expressions that name specific activities like we see in Unité 3 (faire une promenade, faire du camping):
On fait du ski nautique au lac. (We go water skiing at the lake.)
Nous faison la sieste à 2h. (We take a nap at 2 o'clock.)
Je fais des mathématiques pour être scientifique. (I am studying math in order to be a scientist.)
Notice how you can say what subject you are studying with faire + de + article défini : Je fais de l'espagnol, elle fait du japonais, ils font des sciences sociales, etc.
Listen to the pronunciation of faire.
There are numerous activities that are said in the form of an expression with faire rather than with a single verb. In English we often use expressions with the verb to go in a similar way (to go dancing, to go shopping, etc.), but there are numerous translations of faire.
| Français | Anglais |
|---|---|
| Faire attention (à) | to pay attention (to) |
| Faire la sieste | to take a nap |
| Faire la fête | to party |
| Faire la cuisine | to cook |
| Faire la connaissance de... | to meet....for the first time |
| Faire un tour (en voiture) | to go for a walk (drive) |
| Faire une promenade | to go for a walk |
| Faire une promenade en voiture | to go for a (car) ride |
| Faire une randonnée | to go on a hike |
| Faire de la randonnée, des randonnées | to go on hikes (in general) |
| Faire un voyage | to go on a trip |
| Faire de l'exercice* | to exercise, to work out |
| Faire de l'escalade | to go rock climbing |
| Faire de la voile | to go sailing |
| Faire du camping | to go camping |
| Faire du canoë | to go canoeing |
| Faire du ski | to ski |
| Faire du sport | to do sports |
| Faire du vélo | to go bike riding |
| Faire du jogging | to go jogging |
| Faire de la gym | to work out |
| Faire des courses | to run errands |
| Faire les courses | to go grocery shopping |
| Faire de la gymnastique | to do gymnastics |
| Faire de la planche à voile | to windsurf |
| Faire de la plongée sous-marine | to scuba-dive |
| Faire du surf | to surf |
| Faire du cheval | to go horseback riding |
| Faire du travail bénévole | to do volunteer work |
* Note: faire de l’exercice, to work out, is not to be confused with the expression faire des exercices, to complete exercises. ________
Study the Quizlet vocabulary flashcards. Listen and repeat the French pronunciation.
Suggestion: When you don't know the French verb for a certain activity, you can always try using faire followed by the name of that activity or words associated with that activity. A French-speaker will gladly help you find the right verb.
On pratique !
Activité
Complétez les questions par la forme correcte de faire et puis répondez.
- Que ________ ta mère comme travail ?
- Tes parents ________ la sieste après le déjeuner ?
- Est-ce que tes amis ________ du français aussi ?
- Que ________ ton père ? Il travaille à la maison ou dans un bureau ?
- Tes copains et toi, qu'est-ce que vous ________ ce week-end ?
- Est-ce que tu aimes ________ des voyages avec ta famille ?
- Qu'est-ce que tu ________ comme études ? Tu ________ de la biologie ?
- En Suisse, on ________ du ski en hiver ?
- Pourquoi est-ce que tes cousins ne ________ pas d’exercice ?
On approfondit !
Use the following resources to type accents and/or search for words:
- Accents: ç, à, é, è, â, ê, î, ô, û, ù, ë, ï, ü
- Dictionnaire français-anglais