fare (espressioni idiomatiche)
Common Expressions with 'Fare'
In Italian, fare (to do/make) is a 'chameleon' verb used for weather, routines, hobbies, and even to say 'ago'. It often replaces English verbs like 'take', 'have', or 'play'.
How It Works
The verb fare is one of the most versatile tools in the Italian language. Key categories of usage include:
- Daily Routines & Hobbies: Italian uses fare for activities like fare la doccia (to take a shower) or fare colazione (to have breakfast), as well as sports like fare yoga or fare jogging.
- Weather: Use fare impersonally for temperature: Fa caldo (It is hot).
- Professions: You can describe your job using fare + the definite article (Faccio l'avvocato), though you can also use essere + profession (Sono avvocato).
- Time (Ago): The third-person singular fa is used after a time period to mean 'ago', such as due giorni fa (two days ago).
- Causative (Making things happen): Use fare + another infinitive to say you are having something done, like faccio riparare la bici (I'm having the bike repaired).
Examples (6)
- Ogni mattina faccio colazione e poi faccio yoga.
Every morning I have breakfast and then I do yoga.
Word by Word: Every morning I do breakfast and then I do yoga.
Italian uses 'fare' for both meals like breakfast and physical activities or hobbies.
- Ho visitato Roma tre anni fa.
I visited Rome three years ago.
Word by Word: I have visited Rome three years does.
The word 'fa' (from the verb fare) is placed after a time expression to mean 'ago'.
- Faccio lavare la macchina ogni sabato.
I have the car washed every Saturday.
Word by Word: I do wash the car every Saturday.
This is the causative use: 'fare' + infinitive means to have someone else perform an action.
- Mio padre fa il medico, ma mia madre è architetto.
My father is a doctor, but my mother is an architect.
Word by Word: My father does the doctor, but my mother is architect.
You can use 'fare' with an article or 'essere' without one to describe professions.
- Posso fare una domanda?
Can I ask a question?
Word by Word: Can I make a question?
In Italian, you 'make' (fare) a question rather than 'asking' (chiedere) it.
- Dobbiamo fare la spesa oggi.
We have to do the grocery shopping today.
Word by Word: We must do the shopping today.
'Fare la spesa' specifically refers to food/grocery shopping.
Common Mistakes
Using 'chiedere' to ask a question.
Voglio chiedere una domanda.Voglio fare una domanda.This is a literal translation from English. In Italian, you 'make' (fare) a question, you don't 'ask' (chiedere) it.
Using 'essere' for weather temperatures.
È caldo oggi.Fa caldo oggi.'È caldo' means an object (like a plate or soup) is hot. To say the weather is hot, you must use the impersonal 'fa'.
Using 'fare senso' to mean 'it makes sense'.
Questa spiegazione fa senso.Questa spiegazione ha senso.'Fare senso' actually means 'to be gross/disgusting'. To say something is logical, use 'avere senso' (to have sense).
How It Connects
Learn This First
Before learning idiomatic expressions with 'fare', you need to be able to conjugate the verb 'fare' itself. Additionally, since these expressions usually combine the verb with a noun (often preceded by an article), a basic grasp of noun gender and indefinite articles is necessary to use the expressions correctly in sentences.
- andare / fare / dare / stareIrregular Presente: Andare, Fare, Dare, Stare
To use idiomatic expressions with 'fare', the learner must first know how to conjugate the irregular verb 'fare' in the present tense.
Level 1 - Indefinite Articles
Many common 'fare' expressions (e.g., 'fare una passeggiata', 'fare una domanda') require the use of indefinite articles.
Level 1
Related Patterns
- Weather Expressions
Explains how 'fare' is used specifically to describe weather conditions.
Level 1 - fare + InfinitiveCausative 'Fare' + Infinitive
A more detailed look at using 'fare' to indicate making someone else do an action.
Level 3 - Professions without an Article
Compares using 'essere' (no article) vs 'fare' (with article) for jobs.
Level 1 - farcela'Farcela' (To Manage/make It)
A common pronominal verb derived from 'fare' meaning 'to manage' or 'to succeed'.
Level 4
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice fare (espressioni idiomatiche) in Bubblegum
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