Faire and Laisser:

Imagine you’re at a cafe. You don't make the coffee yourself; the barista does it for you. In English, we say "I am having a coffee made." In French, we use faire followed by another verb. This structure is a two-part harmony. The first verb (faire or laisser) tells us the intent. The second verb (the infinitive) tells us what the actual action is. You conjugate the first verb to match who is in charge. The second verb stays in its "dictionary form." It’s a very efficient way to speak. You don't need a hundred different words for "cause" or "allow." You just need these two heavy hitters. It's like a grammar traffic light: faire is the green light for an order, and laisser is the green light for permission. You stay in control of the sentence, while someone else handles the dirty work.

1. 1Creating these sentences is like building a sandwich. You just need to follow these simple steps:
2. 2Pick your "Boss Verb": Choose faire if you are making it happen, or laisser if you are letting it happen.
3. 3Conjugate the Boss: Change faire or laisser to match your subject (Je, Tu, Il/Elle, etc.). For example, Je fais or Tu laisses.
4. 4Add the Action: Drop in the second verb in its infinitive form (the one ending in -er, -ir, or -re).
5. 5Add the Object: Put the thing or person being acted upon at the end of the sentence.
6. 6Example: Je (Subject) + fais (Conjugated Faire) + réparer (Infinitive) + le vélo (Object). Result: Je fais réparer le vélo (I am having the bike repaired). It’s that easy! Just remember: the second verb never changes its ending. It’s the loyal sidekick that always looks the same.

You’ll find yourself using this pattern more than you think. Use faire when you are the instigator. This covers professional services like faire couper les cheveux (getting a haircut) or faire réviser la voiture (getting the car serviced). It also works for chores you delegate, like faire faire les devoirs (making someone do homework). Use laisser for anything involving freedom or permission. This is your go-to for laisser entrer le chat (letting the cat in) or laisser partir les amis (letting friends leave). It’s perfect for social situations where you’re being nice—or just being lazy and letting things take their course. If you’re at a job interview, you might use faire to show you can manage projects. If you’re at a restaurant, you’ll use it to describe how you want your steak cooked. It's the ultimate tool for navigating a world where you aren't the only person doing things.

Don’t get overexcited and use faire for everything. If you are doing the action yourself, you don't need this structure. If you say Je fais le gâteau, you are physically mixing the flour and eggs. If you say Je fais cuire le gâteau, you might just be putting it in the oven or asking someone else to bake it. Also, avoid using laisser when you mean "to leave an object behind." If you left your keys on the table, that's just laisser + noun (J'ai laissé mes clés). You only use the laisser + infinitive combo when there is an action being permitted. Think of it this way: if there’s no second verb, it’s not this grammar rule. It's just a regular day with a regular verb. Keep them separate so you don't confuse your friends!

The biggest trap for English speakers is word order. In English, we often put the person in the middle: "I make *him* cook." In French, the two verbs usually stick together like glue: Je le fais cuisiner. At this level, many people try to translate literally and end up with a mess. Another classic is forgetting to conjugate the first verb. Je faire réparer sounds like caveman talk. Always conjugate that first verb! Also, watch out for the "double faire." It sounds weird to say faire faire, but it's totally correct if you're making someone do something that already uses faire (like chores). Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes when they are tired. Don't let it get to you. If you keep the verbs together and conjugate the first one, you’re already ahead of the game.

You might wonder if permettre (to permit) is the same as laisser. They are close cousins, but permettre is much more formal. You’d use permettre with your boss, but laisser with your roommate. Then there’s rendre. People often confuse faire and rendre when they want to say "to make someone [adjective]." If the movie makes you sad, you use rendre (Le film me rend triste). If the movie makes you cry, you use faire (Le film me fait pleurer). Use faire for actions (verbs) and rendre for feelings (adjectives). It's a small distinction that makes a big difference in how natural you sound. Think of faire as the engine of a car and rendre as the paint job. One moves you, the other changes how you look.