Causative Fare in Italian

Overview

The fare causativo (causative fare) is a construction where fare + infinitive means "to make someone do something" or "to have something done." It is one of Italian's most versatile and frequently used structures, covering situations from ordering a coffee made to your specifications to having your car repaired to making children eat their vegetables.

In English, we use different verbs for these situations — "make," "have," "get" — but Italian unifies them all under fare. The construction "faccio riparare la macchina" can mean both "I'm having the car repaired" and "I'm getting the car fixed," depending on context. This elegant simplicity comes with some complexity in pronoun placement and word order.

Understanding the causative fare is essential for navigating daily life in Italy, from dealing with services ("Ho fatto tagliare i capelli") to describing workplace dynamics ("Il capo ci fa lavorare fino a tardi"). It marks a significant step toward natural, idiomatic Italian.

How It Works

Basic Structure

Fare + infinitive

Italian	English	Pattern
Faccio lavare la macchina.	I have the car washed.	fare + inf. + object
Faccio mangiare i bambini.	I make the children eat.	fare + inf. + subject of inf.
Faccio leggere il libro a Marco.	I make Marco read the book.	fare + inf. + object + a + person

When There Are Two "Objects"

When the infinitive verb already has a direct object, the person being made to act becomes an indirect object (introduced by a):

Situation	Structure	Example
Infinitive is intransitive	fare + inf. + person (direct obj.)	Faccio entrare gli studenti.
Infinitive is transitive + has object	fare + inf. + thing + a person	Faccio leggere il libro a Marco.
Infinitive is transitive + no specific object	fare + inf. + person	Faccio mangiare i bambini.

Pronoun Placement

Pronouns go before the conjugated form of fare, not before the infinitive:

With noun	With pronoun
Faccio riparare la macchina.	La faccio riparare.
Faccio mangiare i bambini.	Li faccio mangiare.
Ho fatto leggere il libro a Marco.	**Gliel'**ho fatto leggere.

Exception: With modal verbs + fare, pronouns can attach to fare in its infinitive form:

Example	Alternative
Voglio farlo riparare.	Lo voglio far riparare.

Fare + Infinitive in Compound Tenses

In compound tenses, the auxiliary is always avere, even if the infinitive verb would normally take essere:

Simple	Compound
Faccio entrare gli studenti.	Ho fatto entrare gli studenti.
Faccio partire il treno.	Ho fatto partire il treno.

Examples in Context

Italian	English	Note
Ho fatto riparare il computer.	I had the computer repaired.	Having a service done
Mi fai ridere!	You make me laugh!	Causing a reaction
La mamma fa mangiare la minestra ai bambini.	The mom makes the children eat the soup.	Forcing an action
Faccio tradurre il documento a un professionista.	I'm having the document translated by a professional.	Delegating a task
Il film mi ha fatto piangere.	The movie made me cry.	Emotional causation
Li ho fatti aspettare mezz'ora.	I made them wait half an hour.	Pronoun before fare
Fammi vedere!	Let me see! / Show me!	Imperative + pronoun
Il professore fa ripetere la frase agli studenti.	The teacher makes the students repeat the sentence.	Classroom context
Ho fatto costruire una casa in campagna.	I had a house built in the countryside.	Major service
Non mi far preoccupare!	Don't make me worry!	Negative imperative
Questa musica mi fa pensare all'estate.	This music makes me think of summer.	Evoking feelings
Lo farò controllare da un meccanico.	I'll have it checked by a mechanic.	Da + agent (alternative to a)

Common Mistakes

Placing Pronouns Before the Infinitive

• Wrong: Faccio lo riparare.
• Right: Lo faccio riparare.
• Why: With causative fare, pronouns attach to or precede the conjugated form of fare, not the infinitive.

Using Essere in Compound Tenses

• Wrong: Sono fatto entrare gli studenti.
• Right: Ho fatto entrare gli studenti.
• Why: Causative fare always takes avere as its auxiliary in compound tenses, regardless of the infinitive verb's normal auxiliary.

Confusing "Fare + Infinitive" with "Fare + Noun"

• Wrong: Faccio una riparazione della macchina. (when meaning "have it repaired")
• Right: Faccio riparare la macchina.
• Why: The causative construction uses fare + infinitive, not fare + noun. "Fare una riparazione" means to personally perform a repair.

Forgetting the Indirect Object Marker

• Wrong: Faccio leggere Marco il libro.
• Right: Faccio leggere il libro a Marco.
• Why: When the infinitive already has a direct object (il libro), the person must be introduced with "a" as an indirect object.

Usage Notes

The causative fare is universal across all registers of Italian. In everyday speech, it is extremely common for describing services ("Mi sono fatta fare le unghie" — I had my nails done) and interpersonal dynamics ("Mi fai impazzire!" — You drive me crazy!).

In formal and written Italian, you may also encounter da instead of a to introduce the agent, especially when emphasizing the professional role: "Ho fatto controllare il contratto da un avvocato" (I had the contract checked by a lawyer). Both a and da are correct, but da emphasizes agency while a emphasizes the indirect relationship.

Note that in some regions of Italy, particularly in the south, the causative fare can carry a stronger connotation of coercion, while in the north it may feel more neutral. Context and tone always clarify the intended meaning.

Practice Tips

1. Describe services you use: Think about things you have done for you rather than doing yourself — haircuts, car repairs, deliveries, translations — and describe each using fare + infinitive.
2. Practice pronoun placement: Take basic causative sentences and replace all nouns with pronouns. This is the trickiest part and needs dedicated drilling.
3. Contrast with causative lasciare: For each "fare" sentence, ask yourself whether "lasciare" (to let/allow) would work instead, and note the difference in meaning.

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Fare — the base verb and its many uses
• Next steps: Causative Lasciare — the permission counterpart to causative fare