Breakdown of Faire la bise est une coutume en France.
être
to be
une
a / an (feminine)
faire
to do, to make
en
in, to
Questions & Answers about Faire la bise est une coutume en France.
Why is the verb Faire in the infinitive here when the English translation says "Kissing"?
In English, we often use "-ing" words (gerunds) as the subject of a sentence, like "Kissing". In French, you cannot do this. Whenever an action is the subject of the sentence, you must use the infinitive form of the verb, which is Faire in this case.
Does faire la bise mean any kind of kissing?
No, la bise refers specifically to the traditional cheek-kissing greeting used in France and other French-speaking countries. It is a platonic greeting. For a general or affectionate kiss, you would use the word un bisou.
Why is the preposition en used in en France instead of à or dans?