French grammar - Causative construction with faire

Causative construction with faire

The causative is a grammatical construction that is used when someone has someone else (or causes someone else) do something.

The verb faire followed by a second verb in its infinitive is used for this.

The 'AGENT' is who is causing the action.

The 'RECEIVER' is the object of the action being caused by the 'AGENT'.

-- when the 'AGENT' or 'RECEIVER' are alone in the sentence then he-she-it simply follows the second verb.

-- when the 'AGENT' and 'RECEIVER' are both present then the 'AGENT' is identified by using par or à.

The indirect (dative) pronoun can be used only if both the 'AGENT' and 'RECEIVER' are present. Often this requires context to make sense.

Examples:
	Je fais sortir Pierre. I am getting Pierre to go out. Agent only
	Je fais sortir les valises de la voiture. I am having the suitcases taken out of the car. Receiver only - the Agent is unspecified
	Je fais sortir les valises par Jean_Luc. I am having the suitcases taken out by Jean-Luc. Both agent & receiver so include the indirect object for the agent Or … à Jean_Luc
	Je fais tondre le gazon aujourd'hui. I am having the lawn mowed today. tondre (verb) means 'to mow' or 'to shear' gazon (f) means 'lawn' or 'grass'
	Je fais tondre le gazon à mon voisin. I have my neighbor mow the lawn. Both agent & receiver so include the indirect object for the agent Or … par mon voisin
	Je fais étudier ma fille chaque soir. I make my daughter study every evening.
	Il fait monter les valises. Par qui ? Par le gardien. He is having the suitcases brought/taken up. By whom? By the caretaker. par qui means 'by who' gardien (m) means 'caretaker' (often in an apartment buidling)
	Nous faisons travailler Céline ce matin. We're having Celine work this morning. Céline must be the agent
	Nous faisons garder les enfants. We are having the children looked after. garder (verb) means 'to look after' or 'to keep' or 'to guard'
	Nous faisons ériger un monument ici. We are having a monument erected here. ériger (verb) means 'to erect' monument (m) means 'monument'
	Tu répares ta voiture ? Non, je la fais réparer au garage par un mécanicien. Are you (familiar) repairing your car? No, I am having it repaired at the garage by a mechanic. mécanicien (m) means 'mechanic'
	Je le lui fais faire régulièrement. I make him do it regularly. lui is the agent and is an indirect pronoun so already includes à (to him/she).
	Ma famille fait construire une maison par cette entreprise. My family is having a house built by that company. construire (verb) means 'to construct' or 'to build'
	Le lave-vaisselle est en panne. Je le fais réparer. The dishwasher is broken. I'm having it repaired. lave-vaisselle (m) means 'dishwashing machine' or 'dishwasher'
	Les enfants ont faim. Je les fais manger. The children are hungry. I am getting them to eat. avoir faim (verb) means 'to be hungry'
	Est-ce que tu fais laver tes chemises ? Do you (familiar) get your shirts washed?
	Tu fais faire un bouquet de fleurs ? Are you (familiar) having a bouquet of flowers made?
	Il y a beaucoup de mouches. Il les fait sortir. There are a lot of flies. He is driving them out. Or 'making the flies leave' mouche (f) means 'fly (insect)' or 'button'
	Tu te fais faire couper les cheveux ? Are you (familiar) getting your hair cut?
	Je fais promener le chien. Je le fais promener. I am having the dog walked. I am having it taken for a walk. promener (verb) means 'to take (someone/something) for a walk'
	Le prof fait écrire un essai à ses étudiants. The teacher makes his students write an essay. essai (m) means 'essay' or 'attempt' or 'try'
	Le professeur de français fait parler en français ses étudiants. The French teacher makes his students speak French.