Mastering French Causative Structures: “Faire + Infinitif” for Hindi Speakers at B1 Level
Mastering French Causative Structures: “Faire + Infinitif” for Hindi Speakers at B1 Level
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Table of contents
If you’re learning French at the B1 level and looking to deepen your understanding of how to express causation — that is, making someone do something — then “les structures causatives” with faire + infinitif are essential. This blog post will guide you step-by-step through the different uses of this structure, compare it with similar Hindi grammatical concepts, and provide clear examples with translations and pronunciation guides.
Let’s get started!
What is the Causative Structure “Faire + Infinitif” in French?
The causative construction “faire + infinitive verb” is used when the subject causes someone else to perform an action. Instead of saying “I do it myself,” you say, “I make someone do it.”
When do we use “faire + infinitif”?
- To express causation or delegation: When the subject causes or orders an action to happen, usually performed by another person.
- To describe services or tasks done by others on behalf of the subject.
- To narrate actions indirectly (like “get something done”).
Tenses Used with “Faire + Infinitif” and When to Use Them
1. Present Tense:
Use to describe ongoing or habitual actions where the subject makes someone do something regularly or currently.
Example:
- Je fais réparer ma voiture.
(I make/have my car repaired.) - Word-by-word: I make repair my car.
- Hinglish Pronunciation: “Zhuh feh ray-pair may voh-tur.”
2. Passé Composé (Completed Past):
Use to express a completed action in the past where the subject caused someone else to do something.
Example:
- J’ai fait nettoyer la maison hier.
(I had the house cleaned yesterday.) - Word-by-word: I have made clean the house yesterday.
- Hinglish Pronunciation: “Zhay feh net-wah-yay lah may-zon eer.”
3. Imparfait (Habitual Past):
Use to describe repeated or habitual actions in the past where the subject regularly caused something to happen.
Example:
- Quand j’étais enfant, je faisais laver mes vêtements par ma mère.
(When I was a child, I used to have my clothes washed by my mother.) - Word-by-word: When I was child, I was making wash my clothes by my mother.
- Hinglish Pronunciation: “Kawn zhet-ayz ahn-fahn, zhuh feh-zay lah-vay may vet-mahn par mah mer.”
Comparing with Hindi Grammatical Structures
Hindi speakers often express causation with verbs like “करवाना (karvāna)” and its various tenses. Here’s how you can relate them:
| French Tense | Hindi Equivalent | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Present (faire) | करता हूँ करवाना (karta hoon karvāna) | Habitual or ongoing causation |
| Passé Composé (ai fait) | किया करवाया (kiya karvāyā) | Completed past action caused by the subject |
| Imparfait (faisais) | करता था करवाता था (karta tha karvata tha) | Habitual past action caused repeatedly |
For example:
- French: J’ai fait réparer la voiture.
Hindi: मैंने गाड़ी की मरम्मत करवायी। (Maine gaadi ki marammat karvayi.) - French: Je fais laver mes vêtements.
Hindi: मैं अपने कपड़े धोवाता हूँ। (Main apne kapde dhovata hoon.)
More Examples with Explanations
Present Tense
- Elle fait cuisiner le chef.
(She makes the chef cook.) - Word-by-word: She makes cook the chef.
- Hinglish Pronunciation: “El feh kwee-zee-nay luh shef.”
Passé Composé
- Nous avons fait construire une maison.
(We had a house built.) - Word-by-word: We have made build a house.
- Hinglish Pronunciation: “Noo zavon feh kon-streer uhn may-zon.”
Imparfait
- Il faisait réparer sa montre tous les mois.
(He used to have his watch repaired every month.) - Word-by-word: He was making repair his watch every the month.
- Hinglish Pronunciation: “Eel feh-zay ray-pair sa mon-tr too lay mwa.”
“Faire + infinitif” is a causative construction in French used to say that someone causes another person to do something, similar to “make” or “have something done” in English.
Use present tense for current or habitual actions.
Use passé composé for completed past actions.
Use imparfait for repeated or habitual past actions.
In Hindi, it’s similar to using “करवाना (karvāna)”. For example:
Je fais réparer la voiture. = मैं गाड़ी ठीक करवाता हूँ।
Quick Reference Chart
| Tense | Use Case | French Example | Hindi Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | Current/habitual causation | Je fais laver la voiture. | मैं गाड़ी धोवाता हूँ। |
| Passé Composé | Completed past action | J’ai fait réparer la maison. | मैंने घर की मरम्मत करवाई। |
| Imparfait | Habitual past action | Je faisais nettoyer les fenêtres. | मैं खिड़कियां साफ करवाया करता था। |
Summary
The French “faire + infinitif” structure is a versatile way to express that you cause or have someone else do an action. For Hindi speakers, thinking about this structure as similar to the Hindi verb “करवाना” can make mastering it easier, especially when considering the tense distinctions (habitual, completed, or ongoing).
- Use present for current or habitual causation.
- Use passé composé for completed actions in the past.
- Use imparfait for habitual actions in the past.
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