Causative Construction: Learn the 'faire faire' construction

The causative construction in French is a way to express causing someone or something else to do something. This construction is achieved by using the verb "faire" twice in a row, followed by the infinitive form of the verb that represents the action that is being caused.

For example:

• "Je fais réparer ma voiture." (I have my car repaired.)
• "Il fait nettoyer sa maison." (He has his house cleaned.)
• "Elle fait préparer le dîner." (She has dinner prepared.)

Here are some important points to keep in mind when using the causative construction with "faire faire":

1. Subject agreement:

   • The subject of the sentence is the person causing the action.
   • The subject agrees in number and gender with the verb "faire."
   • The subject of the infinitive verb remains in its original form.

2. Object pronouns:

   • Object pronouns are placed before the first "faire" in the construction.
   • If there are multiple object pronouns, they are placed before the first "faire" in the order: me/te/se/nous/vous + le/la/les/lui/leur.

3. Reflexive verbs:

   • When using reflexive verbs in the causative construction, the reflexive pronoun remains attached to the infinitive verb.
   • For example: "Je me fais couper les cheveux." (I have my hair cut.)

4. Past tense:

   • To express the causative construction in the past tense, the auxiliary verb "avoir" is used.
   • The past participle agrees in number and gender with the subject of the sentence.

Now that you have learned the basics of the causative construction using "faire faire," practice using this construction to express causing someone or something else to do something. Remember to pay attention to subject agreement, object pronouns, reflexive verbs, and the past tense as necessary.

Note: The causative construction using "faire faire" is just one way to express causation in French. There are other constructions that can also be used, such as the verb "laisser" followed by an infinitive. However, the "faire faire" construction is commonly used and widely understood.