Nous le leur faisons certifier.

Questions & Answers about Nous le leur faisons certifier.

Why do both le and leur go before faisons instead of right before certifier?
In the causative faire structure (faire + infinitive), object pronouns always go before the conjugated verb (faire), not the infinitive. Even though the pronouns logically relate to the action of certifying, grammar rules dictate they step in front of faisons.
Why do we use the indirect object leur for "them" instead of the direct object les?
This is a strict rule of the causative faire construction. When the infinitive verb (certifier) takes a direct object (here, le, meaning 'it'), the person performing the action is forced to become an indirect object. That is why 'them' translates to the indirect pronoun leur. If the infinitive had no direct object, you would use the direct pronoun les instead, as in Nous les faisons travailler (We make them work).
What dictates the order of le before leur in this sentence?
The pronouns follow the standard French double-pronoun order. When using two third-person pronouns together, the direct object (le, la, or les) always comes before the indirect object (lui or leur).
If the thing being certified was feminine, like la lettre, how would the sentence change?
If the object being certified were feminine, the direct object pronoun le would simply change to la, resulting in Nous la leur faisons certifier. The pronoun leur remains the same because indirect pronouns do not change based on gender.

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