Breakdown of Qu'ils fassent exécuter ce châtiment !
ils
they (masculine/mixed)
ce
this (before a noun)
faire
to do, to make
que
let / may (third-person command)
Questions & Answers about Qu'ils fassent exécuter ce châtiment !
Why does this sentence start with qu'ils fassent instead of a regular command verb?
French only has true imperative (command) forms for tu, nous, and vous. To give an indirect command to a third party, like 'let them' or 'have them', you use que followed by the subjunctive. Here, we use fassent, the present subjunctive of faire.
How does fassent exécuter translate to 'have carried out'?
This uses the French causative construction, which is formed by the verb faire followed immediately by an infinitive. It is used when the subject doesn't do the action themselves, but causes it to be done by someone else. Here, they aren't carrying out the punishment themselves; they are having it carried out.
Why doesn't the object ce châtiment go between the two verbs like it does in English?