Do you know how to use the verb fare + infinito?

This construction is common in Italian; you’ll hear and read it everywhere. Therefore, it is important to understand what it means, how it is used, and how to use it in your own writing and conversation.

Fare + infinito means to have/make someone do something or to have something done.

Faccio ristrutturare la casa — non ne ho la più pallida idea come si fanno queste cose!

I am having the house renovated — I haven’t the slightest idea how one does these things!

Mia madre mi ha fatto rifare tutti i compiti perché secondo lei la qualità era terribile!

My mother made me redo all my homework because in her opinion the quality was terrible!

Object pronouns in fare + infinito constructions precede the verb unless fare is in the infinitive form:

Lo faccio pulire domani mattina quando vado in lavanderia.

I’ll have it cleaned tomorrow morning when I go to the cleaner’s.

When this construction is used in the infinitive or imperative (command) form, the (direct and in some cases indirect object) pronoun attaches to fare:

Devo farli capire che studiare è importante!

I have to make them understand that studying is important.

and

Fallo capire che non può giocare a calcio finchè non fa i compiti!

Make him understand that he cannot play soccer until he does his homework!

In sentences that use this construction where there are two objects, the thing is the direct object and the person (followed by the preposition a when a noun or pronoun) is the indirect object:

Il professore mi ha mandato tutti i compiti che mio figlio non aveva completato due settimane fa. Gli faccio finire i compiti questo week end.

The teacher sent me all the homework that my son hadn’t completed two weeks ago. I will make him finish the homework this weekend.

Il professore mi ha mandato tutti i compiti che mio figlio non aveva completato due settimane fa. Li faccio finire a mio figlio questo week end.

The teacher sent me all the homework that my son hadn’t completed two weeks ago. I will make my son finish it this weekend.

Il professore mi ha mandato tutti i compiti che mio figlio non aveva completato due settimane fa. Glieli faccio finire questo week end.

The teacher sent me all the homework that my son hadn’t completed two weeks ago. I will make him finish it this weekend.

If you use the fare + infinito construction with a compound tense, the past participle (il participio passato) for the verb fare — fatto — agrees in gender and number with the direct object pronoun:

Mi avete fatto lavare i piatti dopo cena ogni sera! Sono stanca di farlo! Chiedi a Mario, non fa niente di importante al momento.

You had me wash the dishes after dinner every evening! I am tired of doing it! Ask Mario, he’s not doing anything important right now.

Me li avete fatti lavare dopo cena ogni sera! Sono stanca di farlo! Chiedi a Mario, non fa niente di importante al momento.

You had me wash them after dinner every evening! I am tired of doing it! Ask Mario, he’s not doing anything important right now.