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Faire in the present: forms and everyday expressions

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Use fais, fait, faisons, faites and font for activities, tasks and weather. Compare il fait froid with j’ai froid, then answer five questions.

In short

The present of faire is je fais, tu fais, il/elle/on fait, nous faisons, vous faites, ils/elles font. Learn it with a complete expression: faire du vélo, faire les courses, faire une pause.

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A person cycling along a quiet French riverside path.
A familiar activity illustrates faire du vélo. Illustration: Atelier

Faire au présent · activités et tâches

1 · Match the subject

Je and tu share fais. Watch vous faites and ils font: both have irregular endings.

je faisI do / make
tu faisyou do / make
il / elle / on faithe / she does; we do with on
nous faisonswe do / make
vous faitesyou do / make
ils / elles fontthey do / make

Léa fait les courses.Léa is doing the shopping.

Léa et Sami font les courses.Léa and Sami are doing the shopping.

2 · Keep the expression together

The article belongs to the whole expression. Compare une, les and du in these examples.

Nous faisons une pause.We are taking a break.

Vous faites les courses ?Are you doing the shopping?

Je fais du vélo le dimanche.I go cycling on Sundays.

3 · Weather uses il fait

For these weather expressions, il is impersonal. Use fait whatever the season.

Il fait beau aujourd’hui.The weather is lovely today.

Il fait froid dehors.It is cold outside.

4 · Only the first verb is conjugated here

After devoir, leave faire in the infinitive. When faire is the main verb, give it the subject’s present form.

Je dois faire mes devoirs.I have to do my homework.

Je fais mes devoirs.I am doing my homework.

A thing to make or an activity to do

How do you talk about the weather with faire?

Il fait froid.It is cold.

Focus: The outside conditions.

J’ai froid.I feel cold.

Focus: The speaker’s sensation.

Use the established expression for each meaning: Il pleut means “It is raining”; Il est tard means “It is late”. For your own activities, Qu’est-ce que tu fais ? asks what you are doing. English “do” in an ordinary question works differently: Est-ce que tu travailles ? means “Do you work?”

Choose the form and the full expression

Question 1No account needed
Complete the present form.Vous ___ une pause ?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

faites. Vous takes the irregular form faites. Faisons goes with nous.

Question 2No account needed
Match the two-person subject.Léa et Sami ___ du vélo.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

font. Two names form a third-person plural subject: Léa et Sami font.

Question 3No account needed
Describe your own sensation of cold.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

J’ai froid.. J’ai froid describes how you feel; Il fait froid describes the weather.

Question 4No account needed
Choose the verb after devoir.Nous devons ___ les courses.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

faire. After conjugated devons, the next verb is the infinitive faire.

Question 5No account needed
Ask “Do you work here?”

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Est-ce que vous travaillez ici ?. Use est-ce que and the conjugated verb travaillez. English question “do” adds no faire here.

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