The irregular verb "fare"
The verb fare generally means "to do" or "to make." It is highly irregular in the present tense, so you will need to memorize its forms.
| Subject pronoun | fare |
|---|---|
| io | faccio |
| tu | fai |
| lui / lei | fa |
| noi | facciamo |
| voi | fate |
| loro | fanno |
In Italian, fare is incredibly versatile. It is used in dozens of everyday expressions where English might use verbs like "to take," "to have," or "to pay."
Daily routines
For many morning and household routines, Italian uses fare combined with a noun:
- fare colazione (to have breakfast)
- fare la doccia (to take a shower)
- fare la spesa (to do the grocery shopping)
| I have breakfast in the morning. | Faccio colazione la mattina. |
| We always have breakfast together. | Facciamo sempre colazione insieme. |
| She takes a quick shower. | Lei fa una doccia veloce. |
| He does the shopping today. | Lui fa la spesa oggi. |
Leisure activities
When you want to get some fresh air or capture a memory, fare is also your go-to verb:
- fare una passeggiata (to take a walk)
- fare una foto (to take a photo)
| We are taking a walk with the dog. | Facciamo una passeggiata con il cane. |
| I am taking a photo with the phone. | Faccio una foto con il telefono. |
More everyday expressions
Here are a few more highly common combinations you will hear all the time:
- fare un favore (to do a favor)
- fare la fila (to stand in line / queue)
- fare attenzione (to pay attention)
- fare un bagno (to take a bath)
| Are you doing a favor for me? | Fai un favore per me? |
| Why are you standing in line here? | Perché fate la fila qui? |
| The students pay attention. | Gli studenti fanno attenzione. |
| I am taking a hot bath. | Faccio un bagno caldo. |
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