Why "I would make to build" je ferais construire" instead of "I would build" je construirais
Why "I would make to build"
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Hi Stephen,
Faire + infinitive is used when you are not doing the action yourself.
Faire construire une maison = to have a house built (for you)
Construire une maison = to build a house
Take a look at the following Kwiziq lesson ( and Q&A section) which will give you lots of examples -
https://french.kwiziq.com/revision/grammar/faire-plus-infinitive-means-to-have-something-done
Hope this helps!
In French, one is very particular when it comes to who does what. Take the simple task of cooking an egg. In English you'd say: "I am cooking an egg." But in French this would be: Je me fais cuisiner un œuf. Because, to French minds, it is the flame or heat which cooks the egg, not you. Similar when you build a house. It isn't really you who is building the house with your own hands. That's why you have faire between yourself and the verb construire.
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