French verb guide: faire

Faire is one of the most useful verbs in French, but you don't need to learn all of its uses at one time. Start with the core A2 uses, build your range with expressions and common errors, then move on to more advanced B1 constructions.

A2: Core uses

Start with How to use faire to learn the forms and everyday uses of faire.

• Forms and grammar
• Full conjugation
• Doing or making
• Talking about the weather
• Doing activities
• Related verbs

A2: Expressions and common errors

Next, continue with Expressions and common errors with faire to expand the ways you can use faire and avoid common mistakes.

• Common expressions
• Usage patterns
• Common errors

B1: Advanced uses

After you're comfortable with the A2 material, move on to Advanced uses of faire for constructions and expressions that expand what you can say with faire.

• Having something done: faire + infinitive
• Something happens to you: se faire + infinitive
• Common B1 expressions
• Conversational phrases

Idiomatic expressions

You can also explore Idiomatic expressions with faire to learn figurative expressions whose meanings go beyond the basic constructions that use faire.

• faire d'une pierre deux coups
• faire tout un fromage de quelque chose
• faire des pieds et des mains
• faire la sourde oreille
• faire la pluie et le beau temps
• n'en faire qu'à sa tête
• faire exprès (de)
• faire la tête

Summary of patterns with faire

As you progress, faire expands from its most basic uses into a wider range of expressions and constructions:

Level	Pattern	Meaning or use
A2	faire + something	do or make something
A2	il fait + weather expression	talk about the weather
A2	faire + activity	talk about activities
A2	faire attention à	pay attention to
A2	ça fait... que	say how long something has been happening
B1	faire + infinitive	have something done
B1	se faire + infinitive	have something happen to you
B1	faire confiance à	trust
B1	faire semblant de	pretend to
B1	faire face à	face or cope with something

You don't need to learn all of these uses at the same time. Follow the learning path above and build on the patterns you already know.