SUMMARY

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The verb faire is a useful verb, as it is used in many, many French expressions. It means “to do”, or “to make”, even to “fabricate”.

For instance, it can be used with sports or musical instruments, when you depict it as a general activity, like a hobby.

• Je fais du foot = I play /"do" football (=as a hobby, like a club activity you do regularly)

• Je joue au foot = I play football (=right now, or a one-time activity)

Many activities use the verb faire in general. It’s very practical for you as learner, as you can always try to use the verb “faire” followed by a noun is you don’t the correct verb 😊 It then can mean to do the activity, or even to go do an activity.

• je skie = I am skiing

• je fais du ski = I am skiing 

• je vais faire du ski = I am going to ski

Here are some classics expressions using faire:

• aller à/ faire de la chasse = to go fishing

• aller à/faire de la pêche = to go hunting

• faire à manger = to make food :D

• faire de (+ sport) = to practice a sport

• faire de l'équitation = to go horse riding( fancy)

• faire de l'escalade = to do (rock) clibing

• faire de l'exercice = to exercise

• faire de la marche = to go wallking (hard walking)

• faire de la musculation = to go do muscle activities

• faire DES courses = to go grocery shopping

• faire du bateau = to go boating

• faire du bodybuilding = to do bodybuilding

• faire du camping = to camp

• faire du cheval = to go horse riding

• faire du jardinage = to garden

• faire du jogging = to go on a run

• faire du patin (à glace) = to go (ice)skating

• faire du roller = to go rollerblading

• faire du shopping = to go shopping

• faire du ski = to go skiing

• faire du snowboard = to go snowboarding

• faire du sport = to do some sport

• faire du VTT = to go mountain biking

• faire la cuisine = to cook

• faire la fête = to party

• faire la lessive = to do laundry

• faire la vaisselle = to do the dishes

• faire le ménage = to do the cleaning

• faire un voyage = to go on a trip

• faire une course = to run an errand

• faire une promenade = to go on a walk

• faire une randonnée = to hike 

jouer and faire are the two verbs you use to talk about activities. However, their use is slightly different and depends on what activity you are talking about.

• jouer = to play

• faire = to make, to do

Note: For the conjugation of those two verbs, check out the Conjugations page.

Faire or jouer?

It all depends of what you are talking about.

In general, ‘jouer’ is used for game-like activities: sports that are usually played in teams (soccer, football, tennis, table tennis…) or actual games (bowling, board games, card games, darts…). “Jouer” is also used for musical instruments.

‘faire’ is used for everything else: sports and activities that are no games per se: the arts (cooking, painting, drawing…), fighting or defense sports (judo, taekwondo, boxing, fencing…), individual sports/activities (roller blading, dancing, swimming, running…).

This is similar to English – some activities can be “played” and some cannot. You play cards or you play football, but you can’t “play boxing” or “play running”. Here are some examples:

NOTE: “faire” is such a use-for-all verb, that you can technically use it with every single sport. For instance, you should say “jouer” for soccer, but you could technically say “faire”, which implies it’s an habitual activity, like an extracurricular activity you do every Wednesday. 

Using the correct preposition

• Faire de + any activity

• Jouer de + muscial instrument

• Jouer à + game-like sport or activity

With the verb “faire”, you have to use the preposition “de”.

• faire de la danse
  to do dancing

• faire de l’aérobique
  to do aerobics

However, “de” morphs into DU when followed by ‘le’ (de+le= du) and into DES when followed by “les” (de+les=des).

• le foot --> *faire de le foot* --> faire du foot  (to do soccer)

• le crochet -->*faire de le crochet* --> faire du crochet (to do crochet)

• les pompes --> *faire de les pompes* -->faire des pompes (to do push-ups)

With jouer, there are two possibilities: "de" or "à"

1. playing a musical instrument : jouer de

If you are talking about a musical instrument, you will use the preposition “de”, which will again morph into DU when followed by “le” (de+le= du) and into DES when followed by “les” (de+les=des).

• la batterie --> jouer de la batterie  (to play the drum set)

• l’accordéon --> jouer de l’accordéon (to play the accordion)

• Le piano --> *jouer de le piano* --> jouer du piano  (to play the piano)

• les maracas -->*jouer de les maracas*  --> jouer des maracas  (to play the maracas)

2. Playing a game: jouer à

For any other game-like activities, you will use the preposition “à”, which will morph into AU when followed by “le” (à+le= au) and into AUX when followed by “les”  (à+les= aux).

• la dînette --> jouer à la dînette  (to play doll’s tea set / to play house)

• l’île déserte --> jouer à l’île déserte  (to play desert island)

• le foot -->   *jouer à le foot* --> jouer au foot (to play soccer)

• les cartes --> *jouer à les cartes* --> jouer aux cartes (to play cards)

• les jeux vidéos --> *jouer à les jeux vidéo* --> jouer aux jeux vidéo  (to play video games)

1. Talking about a habit

In French, the present tense is used to talk about current habits.

• Le matin, je mange un toast.
  In the morning, I eat a toast.

In this previous example, we understand that it is a general habit: in the morning, that person usually eats toast. It doesn't mean it will happen every single morning, but there is a high probability that it will.

If you want to specify with words that it is a habit, you can use the expression [j'ai l'habitude de + unconjugated verbal clause]

• Le matin, j'ai l'habitude de manger un toast.
  In the morning, I have for habit to eat a toast.

2. Talking about a specific condition

You can express a specific condition for a habit by using [QUAND + condition in the present]. Here are examples with weather conditions.

• Quand il fait froid, je reste à la maison.
   When it is cold, I stay at home.

• Quand il fait beau mais pas trop chaud, je cours dans un parc.
  When the weather is nice but not too hot, I run in a park.

3. Talking about two opposite conditions

Another way to express a condition is to use [Si + sentence in the present] (if...), followed by a sentence in the present. This structure therefore also implies that if the condition isn't fulfilled, the action is not happening.
NOTE: si + il = s'il

• S'il fait beau, je marche jusque la bibliothèque.  
  If the weather is nice, I walk until the librarie. ---> but if it doesn't, I don't.

• S'il pleut, nous allons au cinéma.
  If it rains, we go to the movies. ---> But if it doen't rain, we won't go.

4. Talking about habits at a specific time

If you are talking about a month, use EN in front of it.

• En février, je vais au ski.
  In February, I go skiing.

If you are talking about a season, use AU for "printemps" but EN for the others.

• Au printemps, je fais de l'exercice à l'extérieur mais en hiver et en automne, je préfère aller à la gym.
  In the spring, I exersize outside but in the winter and in the fall, I prefer to go to the gym.

What is a Direct Object (DO)

A direct object is the object of the action, the thing or person to whom the action is applied– therefore, it is connected to a verb and answers the question 'who?' or 'what?'.

• I eat a pizza.
  you eat what? a pizza ------> direct object = a pizza

• They call their parents.
  they call who? Their parents. ----->  their parents = direct object

Note that a direct object can be a lot more than just an article and a noun!

• I love this very cute little green dress that grandma gave me.
  I love what ?  this very cute little green dress that grandma gave me.
  ---> yup, the whole thing is the direct object :)

What is a pronoun?

A pronoun is something that replaces a nominal clause.

• The little rabbit --> it

• Andrew --> he, him

• Me & my friends --> we, us

• You, my sweet baby <3 -->you

However, those pronouns change depending on the grammatical function of the nominal clause:

• As subject, "Andrew" becomes “he” (subject pronoun)
  Andrew cried in French class -->  He cried in French class.

• As a direct object, “Andrew” becomes “him” (object pronoun)
  Kurtis made Andrew laugh --> Kurtis made him laugh. (direct object)

French subject pronouns (review)

Before we move on to Direct Object pronouns in French, let's tripple check that you remember how pronouns work in French.

You have learned about French subject pronouns the second you started learning French: je, tu, il, elle... 

REMEMBER: every noun in French, be it a human or an object, as a gender. Therefore, when you use a subject pronoun to talk about an object, you have to use the pronoun that works with the gender of the object !

• la table --> elle 

• le chocolat --> il

• les oranges (f.) --> elles

• les fromages (m.) --> ils

French Direct Object pronouns

The DO pronouns

In English, direct objects have pronouns that are different from the subject pronouns. Same in French! Exactly like subject pronouns, you have to take into account the gender of the nominal clause you are replacing.

Here is a comparative table:

DO pronoun placement

This is where it gets tricker...

In it's pronoun form, the direct object goes in front of the verb it is connected to.

• Nous invitons nos amis. ----> Nous les invitons.
  We invite our friends.                We invite them.

• Tu  écoutes le professeur.  ---> Tu l'écoutes  (le becomes l' in front of a vowel).
  You listen to the teacher.              You listen to him.

• Je regarde la télévision. ----> Je la regarde.
  I watch TV.                                 I watch "her".

• Il mange le gâteau. ----> Il le mange.
  He eats the cake.              He eats "him" (=the cake).

other examples:

• Ils te détestent.
  They hate you (singular).

• Vous me regardez ?
  You are watching me?

• Elles l'adorent !
  They (female) love it/him/her (no way of knowing !)

• Nous vous ignorons.
  We are ignoring you (plural/formal).

• Je t'aime !
  I love you!

If the direct object is connected to a negated verb, the pronoun is still RIGHT before the verb, so usually inside the "ne...pas" sandwich.

• Je ne mange pas le chocolat. -----> Je ne le mange pas.
  I don't eat the chocolate.                   I don't eat "him"

• Il ne regarde pas la série.   -----> Il ne la regarde pas.
  He doesn't watch the series.       He doesn't watch "her".

• Il ne m'aime pas
  He doesn't love me

• Nous ne le buvons pas
  We don't drink it.

When there is more than one verb...

Sometimes, some structure have more than one verb. For instance " I like to watch TV" has the verbs "to like" and "to watch".
Therefore, when you want to replace "TV" by a pronoun, you have to decide with which verb the direct object goes.

• I like to watch TV

• I like what?  to watch TV

• I watch what? TV

Therefore "TV" on its own is the direct object of "to watch", not of "to like". This is why you say "I like to watch it" and not " I like it to watch".

Another example:

• I'm going to eat the cake.
  The cake is the direct object of "to eat", not of "to go".
  Therefore, you place the direct object pronoun after the correct verb: I'm going to eat it.

It's the same concept in French: you have to figure out to which verb the direct object is connected, and then you place the pronoun in front of it.

• Je vais aider le professeur.              ---> je vais l'aider
  I am going to help the teacher.                I'm going to help him
  "le professeur" is connected to the verb "to help" not to the verb to go. So the pronoun replacing "le professor" will be placed before the verb "to help".

• Vous adorez manger ses bonbons        ---> vous adorez les manger
  You love eating his candies                                  you love eating them

• Nous n'aimons pas apprendre la leçon        ---> Nous n'aimons pas l'apprendre
  We don't like learning the lesson                               We don't like learning it.

• Nous aimons ne pas manger les chocolats           ---> Nous aimons ne pas les manger
  We like to not eat the chocolates                                      We like to not eat them.

Note: if a verb is conjugated, "ne...pas" is placed in a sandwich around it. But if the verb is not conjugated, "ne pas" is placed in front of it. Since French object pronouns have to be placed RIGHT before the connected verb, then it can be either inside the "ne...pas" sandwich or after "ne pas".

We have seen before adverbs of frequency such as "quelquefois" or "souvent".

Here is a little recap from low frequence to high frequence:

• ne.... jamais (never)

• rarement (rarely)

• ne ... pas souvent (not often)

• de temps en temps / quelquefois (from time to time / sometimes)

• souvent (often)

• très souvent (very often)

• toujours (always)

Remember that negative expressions go around the verb (negation sandwich!) and adverbs go RIGHT after the verb.

• Je ne sors jamais en boîte.
  I never go out clubbing.

• Il s'endort souvent sur son canapé.
  He often falls alseep on his couch. 

Another way to express frequency is to give an actual number: X times a week; X times a day;  days a month.... Those expressions can be combined together, and are usually placed at the end of the sentence. 

• fois (time.s) : always with an S : une fois, deux fois, trois fois....

• par (per): par mois (per month), par semaine (per week), par jour (per day)...

• un jour (a day)

• une semaine (a week)

• un mois (a month)

• un an (a year)

• tous les ... (every...)

Here are examples of sentences combining those time & frequency units:

• Je cuisine trois fois par semaine.          
  I cook three times a week.

• Je nettoie le four une fois par an.
  I clean the over once a year.

You can also use "tous les + time unit (masculin) " or "toutes les + time unit (féminin)" to say "every X".  Just remember to agree with the time unit:

• Je me brosse les dents tous les jours.
  I brush my teeth every day.

• J'étudie toutes les semaines.
  I study every week.

And you can add a number in there !

• Je fais la vaisselle tous les deux jours.             
  I do the dishes every two days .

• Vous faites le ménage tous les trois mois...
  You do some cleaning avery three months...

We have previously seen that for current habits, you should use the present tense.

When it comes to PAST habits, you should use the imparfait. (to review the imparfait tense, check the Conjugations - Unit 2 page).

For instance:

• Quand j'étais petite, je lisais beaucoup le soir.
  When I was young (lit: small), I was reading a lot in the evening.

• Avant, j'allais au lycée en voiture.
  Before, I was going to high school by car. (implicit: now, I don't anymore).

 The imperfect is also used to talk about what people in the old time were doing (if you think about it, it was their life habit!)

• Cléopatre était reine d'Egypte.
  Cleopatra was queen of Egypte.

• Le Général De Gaulle habitait en Angleterre et encourageait les résistants français par la radio.
  General DeGaulle was living in England and was supporting the French résistants through the radio.

• Napoléon aimait la guerre mais il aidait un peu les arts aussi.
  Napoléon loved war but he helped the arts a little as well.

Naturally, in one sentence, you can use both the present and the imparfait. It would make the difference between what you used to do in the past, and what you tend to do nowadays.

• Avant, j'allais à l'école en voiture mais aujourd'hui j'y vais à pieds.
  Before, I used to go to school by car but nowadays, I go by foot.

Some useful vocab: 

• avant:  before/in the past
  Avant, je regardais Sailor Moon.
  Before, I used to watch Sailor Moon.

• aujourd'hui: nowadays
  Aujourd'hui, je regarde des dramas chinois.
  Nowadays, I watch Chinese dramas.

• maintenant: now, nowadays
  Maintenant, on pense que le général De Gaulle est un gros raciste.
  Nowadays, we think the general DG is a big racist.

• ne...plus: no more, not anymore
  Je ne regarde plus Sailor Moon.
  I don't watch Sailor Moon anymore.

• ne... que: only
  Je ne regarde que des dramas chinois.
  I only watch chinese dramas.