Causative auxiliary in French

Definition

Definition in EnglishA verb used with an infinitive as one predicate to express that the subject arranges or causes another participant to perform the action, rather than performing that action personally. This is a separate auxiliary verb, not a causative ending attached to the action verb.

Definition in FrenchC’est un verbe comme faire, suivi d’un infinitif, qui indique que le sujet provoque ou organise l’action d’une autre personne.

Example sentences

• Le retard a fait attendre tout le monde dehors.🔊

  The delay made everyone wait outside.

• J’ai fait lire le rapport à mon collègue.🔊

  I had my colleague read the report.

• Je les lui ai fait lire avant la réunion.🔊

  I had her read them before the meeting.

Learn it in a lesson

• French causatives: faire and se faire

causative auxiliary in other languages

• What causative auxiliary means
• In Portuguese
• In Japanese