Object pronoun position with faire causative

Level 4

When using faire + infinitive to say you are 'having something done' or 'making someone do something,' any object pronouns (me, te, le, lui, etc.) must be placed before the verb faire, not the infinitive.

How It Works

The faire causative construction (faire + infinitive) behaves as a single unit. This leads to four specific rules for pronouns:

1. Placement: Pronouns are placed immediately before the word faire, whether it is conjugated or in the infinitive.
Example: Je le fais réparer (I am having it repaired) or Je vais le faire réparer (I am going to have it repaired).

2. Compound Tenses: In the passé composé, the pronoun goes before the auxiliary avoir.
Example: Je l'ai fait réparer.

3. No Agreement: A crucial rule is that the past participle fait is strictly invariable in this construction. Even if a direct object pronoun comes before it, you never add -e or -s.
Example: La voiture que j'ai fait réparer (The car I had repaired).

4. The Agent (The Doer): If the infinitive has no direct object, the agent is a direct object pronoun (le/la/les). If the infinitive already has a direct object, the agent becomes an indirect object pronoun (lui/leur).
Example: Je le fais chanter (I make him sing) vs Je lui fais chanter une chanson (I make him sing a song).

Examples (5)

  1. Je la fais réparer.

    I am having it (the car) repaired.

    Word by Word: I it make to-repair.

    The pronoun 'la' refers to the object being repaired and is placed before 'fais'.

  2. Il nous a fait attendre.

    He made us wait.

    Word by Word: He us has made to-wait.

    In compound tenses, the pronoun 'nous' precedes the auxiliary 'a'.

  3. Je lui fais chanter une chanson.

    I am making him/her sing a song.

    Word by Word: I to-him/her make to-sing a song.

    Because there is a direct object (une chanson), the person doing the singing becomes an indirect object (lui).

  4. Les lettres que j'ai fait écrire.

    The letters that I had written.

    Word by Word: The letters that I have made to-write.

    Note that 'fait' does not agree with 'lettres' because it is part of a causative construction.

  5. Fais-les entrer !

    Have them come in!

    Word by Word: Make them to-enter!

    In the affirmative imperative, pronouns follow the verb 'faire' with a hyphen, just like in standard commands.

Common Mistakes

  • Placing the pronoun before the infinitive instead of 'faire'.

    Je fais le réparer.
    Je le fais réparer.

    English speakers often mirror 'I have it repaired,' but in French, the pronoun must 'climb' to the front of 'faire'.

  • Adding agreement to the past participle 'fait'.

    La maison que j'ai faite construire.
    La maison que j'ai fait construire.

    In a causative construction, 'fait' is always invariable. Never add -e or -s.

  • Using a direct object pronoun for the person when a second object is present.

    Je le fais lire le livre.
    Je lui fais lire le livre.

    If the infinitive has its own direct object (le livre), the person (the agent) must be an indirect object (lui).

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Object pronoun position with faire causativeLevel 4

Learn This First

To learn object pronoun position with the faire causative, you must first be comfortable with the basic causative construction (faire + infinitive). You also need to know the forms of direct object pronouns and the standard rule for placing pronouns before an infinitive, as the causative construction follows a different placement rule (placing the pronoun before 'faire' instead of the infinitive).

Words in This Pattern