Italian Word of the Day: Fare (to do / to make)

Today we are going to explore one verb you absolutely need to know in Italian: fare. Italians use it for everything, not just for making or doing things, but for talking about hobbies, jobs, how long they’ve been stuck in line, and even the weather! Honestly, we lean on fare so much that sometimes we use it even when a more precise verb would technically be better.

In this article, I’ll walk you through the main uses and expressions containing fare. Covering them all in one go is practically impossible, there are just too many. But don’t worry, you’ll pick up plenty more just by listening and chatting with native speakers. So, tenete sempre le orecchie aperte! (Always keep your ears open!)

How to conjugate “fare” in Italian

First of all, fare is an irregular verb, which means it does not follow the typical pattern of -are verbs in Italian. Because of this, its conjugations must be memorised rather than formed using standard rules. A helpful trick is to remember that its conjugations are similar to the sounds of the Latin form facere, which might help you remember how this verb behaves if you’ve ever studied Latin.

Additionally, fare is a transitive verb and requires the auxiliary verb avere (to have) in compound tenses.

Common uses of “fare” in Italian

Here are some of the most important ways fare is used in everyday Italian:

1. To express an action

At its core, fare means “to do” or “to make,” and is typically followed by a noun that clarifies the action. However, it’s important to note that the verb in Italian often doesn’t directly correspond to “do” or “make.” For example:

• Fare colazione = To have breakfast
• Fare la valigia = To pack
• Fare un biglietto = To buy a ticket
• Fare un favore = To do a favour
• Fare un gesto = To make a gesture
• Fare un movimento = To make a movement
• Fare un passo = To take a step
• Fare un salto = To jump 
• Fare una domanda = To ask a question
• Fare una sorpresa = To surprise
• Fare una telefonata = To call someone
• Fare uno sbadiglio = To yawn
• Fare uno scherzo = To play a joke
• Fare un sogno = To have a dream

2. To indicate creating or producing something

When you want to talk about making, creating, or producing something, fare is the verb to use. This can apply to a wide range of activities, from cooking to crafting:

• Fare il caffè = To make coffee
• Fare un disegno = To draw something 
• Fare un piatto di pasta = To cook some pasta
• Fare un progetto = To work on a project
• Fare soldi = To make money 

3. To express what something provides

Fare is also a useful verb to talk about the functions of objects and the effects of natural elements, for instance:

• Fare aria = To blow air
• Fare luce = To illuminate
• Fare ombra = To provide shade

4. To discuss jobs and school 

Another must-know use of fare is when chatting about someone’s profession or education. For example, in Italian, instead of saying “I am an accountant,” we often say “I do the accountant” (faccio il commercialista). Similarly, fare is used to talk about what school someone attends.

5. To chat about free time and activities 

You’ll hear fare all the time when discussing hobbies, fun plans, or leisure activities in Italian. Common expressions include:

• Fare fotografie = To take pictures
• Fare i piatti = To wash the dishes
• Fare il bucato = To do the washing
• Fare le pulizie = To clean
• Fare nuoto, calcio, ecc. = To swim, to play football, etc.
• Fare palestra = To hit the gym
• Fare shopping = To go shopping
• Fare spese = To run errands
• Fare sport = To exercise
• Fare un giro = To go for a walk, to go for a ride
• Fare una passeggiata = To go for a walk
• Fare un viaggio = To take a trip

6. To describe behaviours and manners

Sometimes, fare is all about how someone behaves in a particular situation, such as:

• Fare il finto tonto / la finta tonta = To pretend to be clueless
• Fare il pagliaccio = To act like a clown
• Fare il serio / la seria = To be serious 
• Fare lo spiritoso / la spiritosa = To joke
• Fare lo splendido / la splendida = To show-off

7. To converse about the weather 

The verb fare is also commonly used to describe the weather in Italian. In this case, it’s always conjugated in the third-person singular, since it refers to general conditions rather than a specific subject:

• Che tempo fa? = How’s the weather? 
• Fa freddo/caldo/fresco = It’s cold/warm/chilly
• Fa bello/brutto = It’s nice/bad weather

8. To talk about performance

Fare is sometimes used to describe performance or speed when talking about sports, vehicles, and other measurable results:

• Fare i cento metri in… = To run 100 meters in…
• Fare un tempo record = To set a record time
• Fare una buona prestazione = To perform well
• Fare x chilometri con un litro = To do x kilometers per liter of fuel

9. To mention the time

In everyday Italian, fare can be used in a casual way to ask or describe the time:

10. To express a mathematical result

To say “equals” in math, we use the verb fare in Italian:

11. To talk about routes or paths

Another frequent use of fare is when discussing the route, road, or method to take to reach a destination:

• Fare l’autostrada = To take the highway
• Fare una strada / una via = To take a certain road
• Fare un percorso diverso = To take a different route

12. To describe spending time

In spoken Italian, fare can take the place of trascorrere or passare when referring to time spent doing something:

• Fare le vacanze = To spend the holidays
• Fare Natale/Pasqua/Capodanno… = To spend Christmas/Easter/New Year…
• Fare il weekend da… = To spend the weekend at…
• Fare x ore di fila = To spend x hours in line

13. With the meaning of acting or functioning as something

In this sense, fare expresses that someone is taking on a role or acting in a certain capacity. It’s typically followed by the preposition da:

• Fare da babysitter = To babysit
• Fare da madre / padre = To act as a mother / father 
• Fare da guida = To act as a guide 
• Fare da paciere = To play peacemaker
• Fare da interprete = To act as interpreter

14. To convey good wishes 

In Italian, fare appears in many expressions used to express good wishes, such as:

• Fare buon viaggio = To have a good trip
• Fare un in bocca al lupo = To wish someone good luck
• Fare gli auguri di buon compleanno = To wish someone a happy birthday
• Fare le condoglianze = To offer condolences
• Fare i complimenti = To give compliments, to congratulate

15. To express dialogue

In colloquial Italian, fare is sometimes used instead of dire (to say) when quoting someone. This adds a narrative touch, making the sentence sound more casual and conversational. It’s similar to how we casually say And he was like… / And I was like… in English.

Similar expressions where fare has to do with communicating something include:

• Fare parola = To speak up (usually in the negative: Non farne parola con nessuno! – Don’t say a word to anyone!)
• Fare nomi = To name names
• Fare un discorso = To make a speech

More ways to use “fare” in everyday Italian

Here are some additional expressions with fare that you’ll often hear in daily conversations: 

• Avere a che fare (con) = To have to do, to be involved with
• Avere da fare = To be busy, to have things to do
• Darsi da fare = To make an effort
• Fai pure! = Go ahead! / Feel free!
• Fai tu! = You decide! / It’s up to you!
• Fare a metà = To split in half 
• Fare bella/brutta figura = To make a good/bad impression
• Fare bene/male = To act rightly/wrongly 
• Fare benzina = To get gas
• Fare cilecca = To fail 
• Fare colpo (su) = To impress someone
• Fare confusione = To make a mess 
• Fare da mangiare = To cook, to prepare food
• Fare del proprio meglio = To do one’s best
• Fare fatica = To struggle / To have difficulty
• Fare gli anni = To turn a certain age
• Fare i capricci = To throw a tantrum (often used for children)
• Fare i compiti = To do homework
• Fare il bravo/la brava = To behave / To be good
• Fare il pieno = To fill up (usually referring to a gas tank)
• Fare in fretta = To hurry 
• Fare l’amore = To make love
• Fare le corna = To betray
• Fare le ore piccole = To stay up late
• Fare male = To hurt / To ache
• Fare mente locale = To focus on something / To recall details
• Fare quattro passi = To take a short walk
• Fare schifo = To suck
• Fare senso = To be disgusting 
• Fare storie = To make a fuss 
• Fare sul serio = To be serious 
• Fare un regalo = To give a present
• Fare una pausa = To take a break

The construction “fare + infinitive”

Using fare + infinitive indicates that someone is causing or allowing someone else to do something. In other words, the action described by fare is not performed by the subject directly but by another person. In English, fare usually translates to one of the following four expressions:

• to make (someone do something)
• to let (someone do something)
• to have (someone do something)
• to get (someone to do something)

Let’s compare these two sentences:

Here, Sara is the one actually baking the cake.

This time, Sara is having someone else do it for her.

When the infinitive verb is transitive (i.e., it’s followed by a direct object), the person doing the action is introduced with the preposition a. And if that person is replaced with a pronoun, you must use an indirect object pronoun (which goes before the verb):

If the infinitive verb is intransitive (i.e., it’s not followed by a direct object), the person doing the action is not preceded by a preposition. And if we replace that person with a pronoun, we need to use a direct object pronoun (again, placed before the verb):

Some frequently used expressions with the construction fare + infinitive include:

• Far capire = To make someone understand, to explain
• Far vedere = To show 
• Far avere = To give someone something
• Far fare = To get someone to do something / to have someone do something
• Far girare la testa = To sweep someone off their feet 
• Far girare le scatole = To piss somebody off
• Fare ridere i polli = To be a laughing stock (literally: To make the chickens laugh)
• Chi me l’ha fatto fare? = Why on earth did I do this? (literally “Who made me do this?”)
• Chi ce lo fa fare? = Why on earth are we doing this? (literally “Who makes us do this?”)

The construction “far sì che”

Far sì che means “to ensure that” and is typically followed by the subjunctive mood:

This construction is mostly used in written or formal contexts, but it’s useful to recognise and understand it because you’ll see it in news articles and official documents. A more casual alternative is fare in modo che, which has the same meaning but sounds more natural in everyday speech:

Useful Italian idioms with “fare”

The verb fare appears in many idiomatic expressions that make conversations more vivid and engaging. Here are some of the most common ones:

• Saperci fare = To be good at something 
• Avere a che fare (con qualcuno/qualcosa) = To have something to do with someone/something
• Il dolce far niente = Pleasant idleness 
• Fare a meno (di qualcosa) = To do without something (literally, to make less of something)
• Farla grossa = To mess up big time (literally, to make it big)
• Fare la festa a qualcuno = To jump someone (literally, to throw a party for someone… Sounds fun, but nope, it’s a threat!)
• Fare di tutta l’erba un fascio = To generalize, to lump everything together (literally, to make a bundle out of all the grass)
• Fare carte false = To do anything, sometimes shady, to get what you want (literally, to make fake documents)
• Fare fuori (qualcuno) = To get rid of someone (figuratively… or literally!)
• Fare i conti in tasca (a qualcuno) = To pry into someone’s financial business (literally, to do the calculations in someone’s pocket)
• Fare i conti senza l’oste = To plan something without considering an important factor (literally, to do the math without the innkeeper)
• Fare il bello e il cattivo tempo = To do as one pleases (literally, to make the good and bad weather)
• Fare buon viso a cattivo gioco = To put on a brave face, to play along even when you don’t like it (literally, to make a good face at a bad game)
• Tutto fa brodo = Every little bit helps (literally, everything makes broth)
• Fare un buco nell’acqua = To fail miserably (literally, to make a hole in the water)
• Fare acqua da tutte le parti = To be full of flaws, to fall apart (literally, to leak water from all sides)
• Con fare sospetto = Suspiciously
• Fare orecchie da mercante = To pretend not to hear, to turn a deaf ear (literally, to make ears like a merchant)

Italian proverbs with “fare”

In Italy, we love a good proverb, and we have some interesting ones with the verb fare:

• Fare e disfare è tutt’un lavorare = Undoing and redoing is all work, a bit like saying that trial and error is part of the job.
• Chi fa da sé fa per tre = If you want something done, do it yourself. 
• Chi più fa meno fa = The more you do, the less you actually get done.
• Chi la fa l’aspetti = What comes around goes around. 
• Chi non sa fare non sa comandare = A good leader needs to understand the job they’re managing.
• Non fare agli altri ciò che non vorresti fosse fatto a te = Treat others the way you want to be treated.
• Tra il dire e il fare c’è di mezzo il mare = Easier said than done 

Expressions with “farsi” 

Farsi is the reflexive form of fare and is used when the action is directed toward ourselves rather than someone else. Just like fare, farsi pops up in tons of everyday expressions, for example:

• Farsi bello/a = To make oneself look good
• Farsi capire = To make oneself understood
• Farsi i capelli = To do one’s hair
• Farsi la barba = To shave
• Farsi una doccia = To take a shower (you could also say fare una doccia, but the reflexive form is much more common in speech)
• Farsi conoscere = To make oneself known
• Farsi coraggio = To gather courage, to pull oneself together
• Farsi desiderare = To play hard to get
• Farsi gli affari propri = To mind one’s own business
• Farsi il segno della croce = To make the sign of the cross (used literally before a prayer, but also figuratively when something shocking happens!)
• Farsi in quattro = To go above and beyond
• Farsi in là = To move aside
• Farsi largo = To make way, to push through a crowd
• Farsi male = To hurt oneself
• Farsi notare = To stand out, to get noticed
• Farsi pregare = To play hard to get
• Farsi un nome = To make a name for oneself
• Farsi un giro = To go for a walk/ride/spin
• Farsi una risata = To have a laugh
• Farsi valere = To stand up for oneself, to prove one’s worth
• Farsi vento = To fan oneself
• Farsi vivo/a = To get in touch, to show up

Valentina Nicastro

Valentina Nicastro is a travel writer in love with her home country, Italy. Having travelled widely around the globe, she realised there was more to explore closer to home and decided to put the passport aside for a while. When she is not immersed in documenting Italy, you’ll find her donning her communication consultant hat, weaving words as a content writer and bridging linguistic divides as a translator.