Faire + L'Infinitif = to have something done using a pronoun

Umi O.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Faire + L'Infinitif = to have something done using a pronoun

Hello!

I would like to know where we place a pronoun in the sentence using "faire + l'infinif."

1) Tu as fait changer tes rideaux ?

If I would anwer to this queation using  a pronon "les" for mes rideaux,  "Yes I had them changed,"  where would the pronoun be placed??

The same question... 

2) Je me suis fait faire les ongles.

Where do we place "les" the pronoun if we say, "You get them (your nails) done!"

Is there a certain rule that we need to know and follow??

Thank you very much!!

Umi

Asked 6 years ago
CécileNative French expert teacher in KwiziqCorrect answer

Hi Umi.

1) would be - 

Oui, je  les ai fait changer = Yes, I had them done

2)

Tu te les fais faire! = You get them done!

Tu te les as fait faire! = You got them done!

They are placed just before the verb.

Hope this helps!

Umi O.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Hi Cécile, the language super star,

How cool your title is!!!

;-)

But thank you very very much for your reply!

In fact, I did find out "the rule" before I read your answer in the French-Japanese dictionary!!!

It seems like any pronouns are placed before the verb "faire" + l'infinitif, that is the rule, isn't it?

I always thought that a pronoun comes just before "the second verb" when there are two verbs no matter what. However, that won't work for the case of "faire + l'infinif." Because the meaning will be changed!

There are so much to learn on French grammar! I am just overwhelmed!!

Thank you again for your help!!!

Best,

umi

CécileNative French expert teacher in Kwiziq

Hi Umi,

I do agree with you that French grammar can seem overwhelming. We try to make it more approachable with digestible chunks of lessons.

To continue with the placement of the object pronouns, there are cases when two verbs are in the sentence and the object pronoun will be placed before the second verb in the infinitive. e.g.

Je vais les voir I am going to see them

J'ai décidé de le prévenir = I have decided to warn him

Il est parti la voir = He has gone to see her

Nous allons leur donner du miel = We are going to give them some honey

But this is not the case with  'faire faire' , probably because it is an entity, meaning 'to have something done' and you cannot split it ...

 

 

 

Umi O. asked:

Faire + L'Infinitif = to have something done using a pronoun

Hello!

I would like to know where we place a pronoun in the sentence using "faire + l'infinif."

1) Tu as fait changer tes rideaux ?

If I would anwer to this queation using  a pronon "les" for mes rideaux,  "Yes I had them changed,"  where would the pronoun be placed??

The same question... 

2) Je me suis fait faire les ongles.

Where do we place "les" the pronoun if we say, "You get them (your nails) done!"

Is there a certain rule that we need to know and follow??

Thank you very much!!

Umi

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